


David 8 -The rogue Android

by VenlaMatleena



Category: Prometheus (2012)
Genre: David 8 gets to be almost a human, Escape, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Future
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-29
Updated: 2016-08-07
Packaged: 2018-07-19 00:14:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 15
Words: 42,181
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7336879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VenlaMatleena/pseuds/VenlaMatleena
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Year 2303. The world has gone to shit because of the climate change and running out of fresh water. You (the reader) are being captured by the vicious militant forces that have taken over the city. You have lost everyone and everything, but when the life seems to be over for you, help is offered by the most unlikely person possible.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Being captured

The cold concrete greeted you as you were tossed on to the floor of your cell. It was the year 2303 and the world had gone to shit; the fresh water supplies were low and the climate change had brought extreme draught and floods to completely wrong places at completely wrong times. This had caused chaos and many governments had fallen down as the rule had been taken by violently aggressive groups.

Those groups did not tolerate any kind of criticism and anyone and everyone who was suspected of questioning the decisions that the group leaders did, were taken away and interrogated until they got the confession, no matter if it was in fact a real one. There were rather horrible rumors about whether people ever came back from the interrogations, therefore people did not raise questions and tried to lay low, not drawing attention to them. In the situation of extreme danger some were even ready to complain about the others just to get rid of the suspicion.  
Then there were the idealists, the fighters. You were one of them. You and your family worked in secrecy and tried to help anyone who needed it since the mentality in the new world was “every man for himself; only strong survive”.  
The two men wearing black long coats and sunglasses laughed at you as you hit your jaw to the floor. The cold contact made you cry out even though you had tried to stay strong.

\- Let’s see how long will you last! Your boyfriend lasted about three days and then he was ready to tell us everything.  
Yes, the man who you had loved since you had been a teenager had indeed betrayed you and your family. He was now running free and you were… alive at least. Maybe it would had been better if you had died also… yet here you were; laying in the cell, spitting blood because hitting the jaw to the concrete. You got up and turned around. You saw a blond man in a grey uniform standing behind the laughing men.  
\- No use telling him your sad story. He is not a human, you see. He is just a robot and we have given him quite specific orders to make sure that you will not escape. He will not communicate with you so spare him from the pleads and cries.  
They left the cell and the door was locked. You searched through the whole room but there was nothing to help you to escape. A couple of days passed. You could not sleep or eat and you were getting weak. There was someone at the door. It was the blonde man who was supposed to check if you were still alive. He had brought you some food and water. You were cautious about everything, one of the reasons why you had not eaten anything; what if there was poison or worse yet; truth serum in the drink.

The man did not enter the room. He just opened the small hatch in the door and slid the tray trough it. He was about to close the hatch when you ran to the door.  
\- Wait!  
He stopped.  
\- Please… what is your name?  
He shut the hatch and left.  
\- Please! you cried.  
This time you absolutely had to take your chances and eat something so you would be able to defend yourself or try to escape if there was a window of opportunity.  
After a while the door opened and a man in a black long coat came in. He approached you with a bag and before you could protest he put it on your head and dragged you away to the corridor. You tried to fight but you were just too tired. After the long corridor you arrived to a room that was lighted brightly. The man took the bag off and sat you by a table. The room was white and there was nothing but a screen on the wall right opposite from you.  
You were being showed pictures of random people, most of them you did not know but then suddenly there were pictures of your friends, some of them were dead but not all. The interrogator was clearly trying to decipher your facial expressions; who did you know and what kind of relationships did you have with them. Your face did not change, not even when there were pictures of your family.

A man entered the room. He asked you a couple of times if you knew something that could bargain you your freedom back. You said no and your head was being covered with the bag again as you were escorted roughly into the cell again.  
Next day there was the blonde man bringing you the daily meal again. You had learned the time when he always came. You did not have a clock but you had noted that the sun always shined to the corner next to the door when was the meal time. This time you grabbed the mans wrist as he was pushing the tray in.  
\- Please. Tell me your name.  
\- Miss, I am not supposed to talk to you.  
\- Please, I am so alone.  
\- I have specific orders not to ta-  
\- Screw the orders! Please, show some kindness.  
The man pulled his hand away and closed the hatch.  
\- Thank you! you shouted and started to cry. After calming down you ate and drank and then lay on the floor and watched the room getting dark again. You had not slept for many days, only short naps from which you recoiled instantly. You were afraid that you would be just too vulnerable while sleeping. You stared at the ceiling, counting the minutes. The hatch opened again. You did not say anything. You did not even get up.  
\- It’s David. he said. You got up from the floor.  
\- David… you said and smiled although he could not see your smile.  
\- May I come in? he asked.  
\- Sure! you said and went to the corner that was the farthest from the door. You did not know if David was programmed to assault you or something. He opened the lock and then slowly opened the door.  
\- I must warn you, I have been authorized to use force if you’ll try to escape. Fighting me would be most unwise.  
\- Yes, I am aware of that. you said and tried to come up with something that you could use as protection. David closed the door and turned to face you. It was the first time he saw you well and the first time you saw him well. He was tall and well-build with broad shoulders and strong arms. He had blonde hair and greenish blue eyes. He looked just like a real human and it was difficult to remember that he actually was just a machine that had been programmed to do a certain job, in this case the job was to keep you alive and make sure that you would not escape.

But he was more than just a fancy computer, he had opinions and his opinion about you was that you were beautiful, strong and not as dangerous that he had been warned. He looked at you curiously as he tried to analyze your expression and stress level. He noticed immediately that you were tired.  
\- You look tired. he said. His brows furrowed slightly as he tilted his head to the side.  
\- I can’t sleep.  
\- Why? he asked.  
\- It’s not safe to sleep here. you said and crossed her arms. David did not answer.  
\- Why are you here? he asked.  
\- I am here because my boyfriend… well, my ex-boyfriend, saved his skin by sacrificing my family. So… the men came one night and burned our house. I was not there at the time so I did not die, however they caught me soon after and brought me here.  
David looked at you. His expression was blank. After processing what you had just told him he asked  
\- Who killed your family?  
\- These people… David, you’re fighting on the wrong side. you said and looked down. You uncrossed your hands and rubbed them because the tiredness was really messing up with your capability of staying warm.  
\- You should go, David… you will get into trouble like this.  
He was surprised that you actually cared. He smiled slightly and collected the trays from the room. When he was about to leave, he said suddenly  
\- I will come back and stand by your door, miss, you may sleep.  
\- It’s not necessary, I’m fine. you said and tried to keep your balance as you tried to look alert.  
\- No, I can clearly sense that…  
\- Don’t risk your life because of me. you said before he could finish his sentence. David left and closed the door. He did not come back since you were soon after being taken to the interrogation again. This time you were placed into a dark room. Then suddenly there were ice cold water showering from the ceiling. You screamed but you did not tell the men anything about your friends who were hiding.

You collapsed onto the floor. The men had lowered the temperature of the room and the water was turning into ice in places. The floor became slippery. You passed out and the next thing you knew was that you were in the cell again. When you opened your eyes, you saw David.  
\- Why don’t you tell them what they need to hear? he asked as he was checking your pulse.  
\- I cannot. you answered. David looked curious, obviously he did not understand your reasons.  
\- They will kill you if you will not co-operate. he said calmly.  
You swallowed your tears and bit your lip so you would not crack.  
\- Then I shall die. I would not be able to live with myself if I gave up the things I hold dear.  
\- An idealist, I see.  
\- Haven’t you seen what’s out there? you asked. You did not want to treat David as a robot because he was almost a human and maybe being kind towards him was your ticket to freedom, or maybe not… but it was worth trying. David looked confused.  
\- People are fighting for their lives. There is no food, there is no fresh water and the men that you serve are not making things any better. I cannot just stand and watch. If that makes me an idealist, then so be it. you said and looked away. David stood up and walked to the door.  
\- You need to get some sleep. he said as he walked out from the door. You did not see him for a couple of days. There was another robot that brought you your daily meal. You did not speak to him at all. Then one day a man in a black long coat came to the room. He pushed you against the wall and put his strong, large hands around your neck. He had come to choke you until you were dead since you were not giving any answers and something that you had said had made David disappear for a few days. You tried to fight the man but he was too strong.  
The world was going black when you saw David approaching and hitting the man with a flash light. You went unconscious and fell on the floor.


	2. Getting along with David

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> David saved you and now he is keeping you safe.

There was something going on with David. He was questioning the orders that he had been given and therefore he had been searching information about the state of the world. He had visited the city and seen the grieving people and starving children. The sight made him sad, not because he had been programmed to mirror the human emotions but because there was no hope. He cared. Maybe it was a glitch or a bug but he was actually feeling something. He had gotten a first glimpse of a feeling when you had grabbed his hand and asked his name. It had confused him and he had tried to reset himself but something had changed. He had asked you once if you believed that you had a soul. You had answered “no” and told him that you believed that a soul was only a sum of personal experiences, the surroundings and chemical reactions in our brain. You had said that you did not think that David was that different from you after all. The men that David worked for had always talked to him in a degrading manner and underlined the fact that he was not human.

David had considered the possibility that you were playing him, that he was your last straw but he had analyzed your expressions while he had been talking to you and there had not been signs of dishonesty or feeling of superiority. So… something changed and he actually felt something.  
He carried you away from the facility trough the service tunnels. When the night came he exited the tunnels, you were still unconscious because you had hit your head when you fell to the floor. David put you to the backseat of a car and drove away. He got stopped a couple of times but he lied to the men guarding the different areas of the city and they let him pass. Then he stopped at the edge of the city. He carried into a building and closed every door after him. He put you on the bed and checked quickly that your pulse was strong and steady. Then he sat on the edge of the bed to think about his actions.

It was the morning and you woke up finally. You let an “owwww” escaping your mouth as you touched your forehead. David walked to you instantly. You panicked and got up from the bed. You tried to escape but David caught you. You fought him but he was too strong. He talked to you in a calm manner and after realizing that you could not fight him and you were not in a danger you stopped fighting. David was holding you tightly against his chest. The sound of his fake-heart mixed with his voice was soothing your nerves.  
\- I will let you go now, is that alright? he asked.  
\- Yes.  
\- You will not try to escape again, will you?  
\- No.  
He let you go and looked at you curiously.  
\- Where are we?  
\- This is a place that I found when I was exploring the city the other day. And I must say that you were right; the world is… he said and looked sad.  
\- I know. you said and looked equally sad.  
\- Why did you save me? you asked after a long silence.  
David processed the question for a moment and then smiled slightly.  
\- What? you asked.  
\- I do not really know. I am indeed functioning against the way I was programmed.  
\- Gladly so. you said.

During the days that followed David grew more and more fond of your company. You did not leave the hiding place because you was afraid of being captured again. David however left the place every night to get supplies. Then one day he started a conversation about a subject that he was profoundly interested in; love. You were sitting by the window looking out to the darkening evening. The city looked gray and quiet, it was going to rain soon. David had been reading something the whole day and there had been no conversation for many hours.  
\- (Y/N)…  
\- Yes?  
\- What is love like?  
\- Why does that interest you all of a sudden?  
\- In this book that I am reading… the love is described something that I cannot really relate to…  
\- Oh… well… love is a feeling that makes you weak and stupid. It makes you do foolish things and trust the other person, making you vulnerable.  
David looked at the book and then you again. He looked puzzled.  
\- I must have misunderstood something then about this book…  
You laughed bitterly.  
\- If you had asked me two months earlier, my answer would had been quite different.  
David set the book on his lap and focused on you. His posture was always perfect and when he was focused on something, he really was focused on that specific something.  
\- I would had said that love and being loved is the greatest and warmest feeling there is. It hurts sometimes, for example when you’re apart and it might feel like you were about to die but then somehow you pull through and feeling that someones arms around you… the rest of the world just stops mattering and nothing could ever hurt you… and you know that the other person is feeling the same way…

You stopped and looked at David who was keenly listening your every word and reading your expressions. You turned your head away and stared out from the window into the gray, gloomy distance.  
\- What changed your opinion then? he asked after a moment of silence.  
\- The one I loved betrayed my trust. David… there is no place for love in this world. If you cannot experience it, if you cannot understand it… or grasp the idea of it… it’s better that way actually. Love hurts… love kills. It breaks your heart and leaves you cold, alone… in pieces. you say and lean your head to your palms.  
But David disagreed with you. You had made him question the truth that he had been taught; that he was just a machine incapable of feeling anything and yet here he was, sad because of the world, afraid for your safety and on top of that all; he was fond of you… whatever it meant. 

That was the end of the subject “love”. You did not want to talk about it, the wounds were too deep still. The days passed and you finally had gained your strength back, all due to the fine care that David took of you. You did not ask about his motives, you did not dare to. What if his motives were sinister in nature? What if it was all a set up? A cruel plan to achieve information… therefore you never talked about your past, anything that you said could be recorded and then analyzed and used against you and your few friends that were still alive.

This particular night you had asked to go out with David to gather supplies. You had planned that you would sneak away when he was out of sight. It was not a friendly plan, since it was possible that David was actually disobeying his orders and now was an outcast just like you. What cruelty it would be from your side, if you abandoned him! No, you did not think him as a machine… he was more human than he thought himself… unless it was just a sneaky plan, a diversion, and his goals were still as had been programmed.  
Yes, that was possible. It was probable. It was a fact that David did not get frustrated like humans did, he could easily carry on a such complex plan, build trust… mimic love even… make you give yourself to him and then… That was why it was better if you just ran away. Especially when there was no denying the fact that you were growing fond of David. He was handsome and tall, polite and considerate. Smart, he even tried to be funny occasionally. He had saved your life, yes that. It –him being a hero, did not really help. And you knew that he might had spotted your attraction because you sometimes blushed when he smiled at you and you got tangled in your words.

You snapped out from your thoughts when he touched your shoulder gently. Your body jumped slightly.  
\- I am deeply sorry, miss, I did not mean to scare you.  
\- It’s fine… I didn’t… you said, “what a lie” you thought.  
\- Shall we? he asked. You nodded and took your jacket. You glanced at the small apartment once more and looked a bit sad or something. David noticed it. He processed the expression through and came to a conclusion that it was a “one final look”, you were not planning to return. That meant that you were thinking about escaping, leaving him. The thought haunted his mind; you… leaving…him. It played on a loop making him anxious. Could he make you return with him? Could he force you to stay?

You two walked silently in the city that was more like a ruin of a city now. You had heard that there were colonies in the forest far away where people lived their lives in a simple manner but in peace. That was one of those things that you did not talk about to David. If he was indeed carrying on a secret mission, it would be devastating if he got information about the colonies. Even though they did not constitute a threat to the militant forces in black coats, you were unsure if it was safe to take a risk. You had thought about it and…No, it was not safe. Risk was too big.  
David was silent, you thought it was because of secrecy and for the safety of you both but actually he was bothered by the “final look” –thing. He had decided that if you really wanted to leave, he would not make you to stay, although if he had a heart it would probably break. He thought that maybe he could just reboot himself and fix the bug or glitch that was causing his priorities to change. “What a waste” he thought and took a glance at you when you were not looking. 

He stopped.  
\- Alright, I will go there… he said and pointed to an old shopping centre.  
-… and see if I will be able to gather some supplies. he continued. This was his gift for you; a window of opportunity, if you wanted to escape, now was the time to do so. You were surprised and just nodded. You stood there looking at his form diving into the shadows. When he had disappeared from your sight, you looked around you and continued walking onwards. This was just too easy. Maybe it was a trap. Maybe he wanted you to escape and lead him to your hiding friends. You turned a corner and bumped into your ex. He was drunk, walking with a woman, who was wearing slutty clothes and laughing manically. You accidently kicked a bottle and they stopped. You had been noticed, you froze.  
\- A-Andrew? you said. Andrew almost tripped and he did had hard time recognize you.  
\- Are you surprised to see me… you asked.  
\- …alive? you added.  
\- (Y/N)! he exclaimed and tried to come to hug you. You stepped one step backwards.  
\- Oh honey, you cannot be mad at me! he said, or tried to say since the alcohol was really messing his speech up. David articulated always perfectly, he never smelled like both old and fresh booze, vomit and sewer.  
\- My family is dead because of you!  
\- Oh come on, you’re being so dramatic! he said and started to laugh.  
\- What the fuck are you laughing at?  
\- You… you’re so pathetic… I bet you’re just jealous that I’ve moved on… 

David was following the whole confrontation from the shadows. He tightened his fists and walked to you. He placed his hand behind your back, on your waist and pulled you closer. He looked you into your eyes, smiled slightly and then pressed his lips onto yours. He was holding a bag with his other hand, but he dropped the bag and raised that hand on your cheek. You were surprised but played along. You lifted your hand on his chest, and as David analyzed your action as a sign forthcoming rejection, you actually grabbed the collar of his jacket and pulled him closer. Then the kiss was over. You gasped for air and tried to keep your feet from turning into boiled spaghetti. David turned his head and said  
\- I believe we have not been formally introduced, I am David, the man who saved (Y/N) from the militants.  
\- Can you believe this clown? Andrew said to his lady friend who was clearly attracted to David.  
\- I am quite sure that I will be able to love her in all the ways you never could. David added and smiled. You kept staring at the collar of Davids jacket.  
\- Come on, (Y/N). Let’s go… leave this clown and come with me. Andrew said. You stayed silent for a moment. David placed a soft kiss on the top of your head and waited for your answer.  
\- No… you said and looked at Andrew. You shook your head and said silently “let’s go” to David. He took your hand and led you to the shadows, leaving Andrew cursing at the woman. You heard him throwing up a moment later and the sound made you tightening your grip on Davids hand.

You were home again. This whole time you had not talked with him and now that you were back in the apartment you just took your jacket off and started to cry.  
\- Are you crying because… I… kissed…  
\- No. Of course not. you said and smiled through the tears.  
\- It’s just… I had not expected to bump into Andrew…  
\- So he is the person who broke your heart?  
\- Yes… That’s Andrew alright. Let’s not talk about that… you said and wiped the tears away. David sat on a chair and put his hands on his lap. He was clearly waiting for something, maybe for you to come up with a subject that would suit you better.  
\- So… Where have you learned to solve an awkward situation like that?  
David smiled. It was a topic that he had expected.  
\- I just thought…  
\- You thought?  
\- Yes… I analyzed the situation and after going thought all the possible actions, I decided that it was the most efficient and effective course of action.  
\- I see. And where have you learned to kiss like that?  
\- A gentleman never tells. he said after a small pause. You chuckled.  
\- I am afraid that even though I know the theory of performing a kiss and I have seen it in a movie countless of times and I have even read about it… I am afraid that I did not perform it as well as I had hoped to.  
\- Oh? What makes you think so?  
\- Well… your feet did not turn into a mush, that is one thing… he replied. You looked surprised and did not quite know how to respond to such statement.  
\- In the books that I’ve read… that happens if the kiss is… sufficient. he corrected. If David could had blushed, his face would had been as red as a strawberry. You blushed however and there was no way hiding it.  
\- Maybe with practice… he continued, got up and walked to unpack the bag. You bite your lip as you sat in your favorite place; on the window ledge looking at the city lights. “Holy shit!” you thought as you realized that David actually might have some feelings for you. You had told him yourself that he could feel anything and you did not believe in a soul… that you were just a mixture of everything that happened and some chemicals, that’s it. An organic robot. You had said that so David would not feel so different or inferior. What he wasn’t, in your eyes at least. Hell… David was more perfect in every sense, he was like a human on steroids and as far as you knew he did have his own free will… whether it was due to a bug or not –it was there and you were a living proof of it.

David was embarrassed. That was a completely new feeling for him. He had not planned to reveal his feelings for you this early, since he had not analyzed them and did not fully understand how it was even possible that he was having them. He was hoping that you did not raise a conversation about the subject, that would surely be too awkward and he did not have the answers. “How annoying! So annoyingly human-like!” he thought as he unpacked the bag. He did not hate humans, he did not quite respect them either since he had always been told how little he mattered and how replaceable he was. You were the only one who had treated him with respect.  
David felt your warm hand on his shoulder suddenly. He stopped whatever he was doing and froze because he did not know what to do. He had not anticipated you to get into such close proximity with him, at least not now. He heard that you were breathing heavier than usually and that made him worry.  
\- (Y/N), are you alright? he asked and turned. You squatted down, smiled at him and placed your both hands on his cheeks. You rubbed his skin with your thumbs softly. He closed his eyes and then you kissed him just as softly on his lips. He opened his eyes and looked at you puzzled. You felt embarrassed and let go of him on that instant. You stood up and took a few steps backwards.

\- I’m sorry… you said and covered your mouth with your hand. “Oh shit” you thought as the reality hit you; you had obviously misread the situation and been a complete idiot. Davids face was on neutral again. He stood up, took two large steps to your direction and then without saying a word, staring at your eyes intensively, wrapped his arms around you. His other hands fingers massaged your scalp on the back of your head and then he gently grabbed your hair and pulled your head to face his. His other hand caressed your cheek as he got closer. You closed your eyes and it felt like the air had left the room. David did not kiss you yet. He prolonged the moment by staying so close that his lips occasionally brushed yours. Then he kissed you for a long time, sometimes gently and sometimes more intensely. When he let you go and got back to his chores, your head was spinning and you had to take support from a chair as you tried to catch your breath. David looked at you with a smirk. He was clearly proud of himself. You touched your lips that tingled even more when you touched them.  
\- I need to go and wash my face… you said and walked to the door closest to you.  
\- That, love, is the closet. he said as you opened the door. Of course you knew but now you were highly distracted, it made him chuckle. You closed the door and pointed at the other door, David nodded. You went to the bathroom and stared at the mirror. What just had happened made no sense, you had not expected any of it; bumping into Andrew… kissing David. Kissing. David. You touched your lips again, they were swollen and red. You smiled and chuckled, then you blushed at your own behavior that was straight from a handbook of how to handle a crush, written by a teenager, for a teenager… gosh!

David knocked at the door since you had been in the bathroom for a quite long time.  
\- Are you alright? he asked. You recoiled from your thoughts.  
\- Yes… you said and stared at your smiling reflection. You washed your face quickly and changed into your pajama; one of those things that David had bought for you when gathering useful things from the surroundings. You opened the door. David had dimmed the lights and was sitting by the window looking out. He was smiling.  
\- Do you sleep?  
\- No.  
\- What do you do then… during the times I sleep?  
\- I go out to find supplies…  
\- So you leave me alone? you said and walked to the window. You crossed your hands and leaned to the wall. You looked at David disapprovingly, you were joking of course. David, however, did not get it. He looked worried all of a sudden and expressed his sincerest apologies.  
\- I’m joking! you replied and smiled.  
\- What else do you do?  
\- I keep guard, run diagnostics… he answered and stood up.  
\- What if… let’s say, tonight… you did not do that?  
\- What would you have me do instead?  
\- Get some sleep… with me. you said, opened the buttons of his jacket one by one and when that was done put your hands on his shoulders. You slid the jacket off his shoulders and it fell on the floor. Under it he was wearing a dark gray t-shirt that showed off his muscles.  
\- Certainly. he said.  
\- May I hug you? you asked. David nodded. He had never hugged anyone, although he knew what that meant. He spread his arms and then you, before he even had processed the thing through, wrapped your arms around him and leaned your cheek onto his chest. He wrapped his arms around you. Although his strength had nothing to do with his muscles, he felt strong to you. Strong, warm and safe.

\- Your skin is cool. Are you sure that you are indeed alright? he asked and you answered with a sleepy “mmm” –sound.  
\- I think you should go to bed now, it is warm there. I will follow you in a minute. he said still holding you tightly.  
\- Do I must?  
\- I will follow you shortly. he answered with a soft tone and kissed your forehead. You reluctantly let go of him and sighed. Then you walked to the bedroom and crawled to the bed. David closed the curtains and killed the last light there had been; the city lights that had poured into the apartment from the window. The city lights were mainly cold check-point lights that were designed to keep the people from moving around during the nights unnoticed. People lived like they had been prisoners.  
David changed his trousers into casual pants. He washed his face quickly, checked very closely from the mirror that his appearance was… sufficient. Then he walked silently through the apartment into the bedroom. He stopped at the door for a final approval. You did not see him but you heard him clearing his throat, not that he really needed to clear anything… he just wanted to get your attention.  
-Oh come on, you’ve kept me waiting for long enough already. you said. David heard you chuckling and was able to interpret what you had said not to be taken seriously. He sat on the edge and then lay down. For his surprise you were ready to share the blanket with him even though he did not really need one. He stared at the ceiling through the darkness.  
\- So… you do not sleep?  
\- I have never tried.  
\- Okay, close your eyes, relax… you said and took a slow, deep breath.  
\- Clear your mind and listen to the sound of my breathing. you continued. He did as you had requested and after couple of hours he slipped into a state of… sleep. You however had fallen asleep almost instantly. His presence gave you a feeling of safeness through which you allowed yourself to sink deeper and deeper into sleep. Sleeping next to David reminded you about the days when everything had been well. Your family had been alive and you had been in a relationship with Andrew. Your pleasant dreams turned into nightmares, just like your life had.


	3. Are Androids capable of love?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You get closer with the rogue android ;)
> 
> There is smut.

Suddenly you woke up. You were panting, covered in cold sweat. The morning was creeping in and the room was turning less dark. You felt David keeping your hands against the pillow since you had been sleeping very restlessly. You saw his form hovering above you. Soon after you had realized where you were and who you were with you calmed down.  
\- I’m alright… just a nightmare. you assured David as he seemed worried. He asked if you were sure and after you had managed to convince him about you being well, he rolled back on his back. You snuggled closer to him so you were right next to him, laying on your side. You put your arm on his chest and fell asleep. He kept you close until it was late morning and you woke up. You yawned and mumbled something about “five more minutes”. Time passes.  
\- (Y/N), it has been an hour… I think it is time to get off the bed.  
\- Oh… spoilsport! Make me! you mumbled and turned around to hug a pillow.  
\- Haha! I’ll give you fifteen minutes and then I will come and get you.  
\- Oh I’d like to see you try!  
\- Be careful of what you wish for. he said and got out from the bed. He tried to gather all information about flirting and showing affection that there were in his memory files… or memories. He felt nervous and calm at the same time. The feeling was quite confusing and new. He counted down the minutes while staring out from the window. The winter was approaching and there was a little bit snow on the ground. It had fallen during the night as the temperature had dropped below zero.

Your fifteen minutes were up. You had butterflies in your stomach, you had played different scenarios in your head; what would happen next? What would happen when David came to wake you up? Should you pretend to be asleep? You decided to go with pretending, treat it as an experiment. You took a deep breath and tried to relax your face. Your goal was to look as serene as possible, if you looked beautiful… it certainly did not do any harm although you were unsure if David had opinions about beauty or if he cared about things like that.

…He actually did since he had been programmed to care about such things but it was more than that. Maybe it was the kindness you showed towards him and the way you did not treat him as a mindless robot that made him see you as the most beautiful creature that he had ever seen, and he had seen many. David was almost fifty years old although he did not look it. He had been learning from the day one and his creators had continued perfecting his software as well as hardware through time until to the point when he was perfect. The only idea that separated him from actual human was the notion that he actually was not a human. Now that had been changed by you and he actually had started to believe that he was able to make his own choices according solely on his own priorities.

He had been made to serve and he had assisted scientists until the science lab had been taken over and well, in your words “the world had gone to shit”. Then he had been reprogrammed to fit the role of a guard who could not be emotionally influenced and did not show weakness in that way. Until… yes until you had entered his world and caused a bug that you would call “a free will” or “a spark of soul”, although you yourself did not believe in the concept of soul, but the word seemed fitting somehow.  
You had of course thought what if David suddenly rebooted himself and got back to being a guard, serving the militants… what if the “bug” was causing damage to him in ways that could not be repaired and would lead into severe problems in the future. Was that fair considering David and his well-being? You were afraid that you were being selfish.  
David entered the bedroom. You pretended to be sound asleep, although David must have known that you were not really sleeping. He could measure your body temperature and heart rate and they both were indicating that you were awake, very relaxed but awake. He did not say anything because he reasoned that you pretending to be asleep served a purpose and he quite liked the idea of having you there, seemingly on his mercy.

“What would a human do?” he thought and remembered all the movies he had seen, especially all the ones that had some adult material in them. He also recalled all what he knew about the female anatomy but he did not want to go there, not right now at least, although he was aware that he was capable of performing tasks like that as well. He had been build well and he admired that about himself, although it sometimes caused conflict with the fact that he was supposed to be selfless and always ready to serve, which of course he was. But he was also curious. That had been important aspect when he had been working with the scientists. When the militants had taken over the curious mind of his had been suppressed, what a waste!

There was this thing about humans that he did not quite understand; if you wanted him to do something then why did you not just ask, why to play games and give subtle hints and jeopardize the efficiency of getting things done by not stating exactly what you wanted him to do.  
But this was different. He had decided that this was a way for you to test his character and goals. This was after all considered “sweet” in human terms… actions that necessarily did not aim to the most efficient outcome but it was something that was supposed to increase the affection and build trust.  
“So what was the sweetest thing that a machine could do?” he thought and then corrected himself; “what was the sweetest thing that a man could do?”

You felt the mattress settling down as David crawled to you on all fours. He looked at you fascinated and removed a lock of your hair that you had left there on purpose as a cue for him to touch your face. Then he got as close as he could without putting any weight on you and kissed you softly between words “time. to. wake. up”. He exposed your neck by removing the hair gently and then kissed your neck just under your earlobe. You sighed because his warm lips felt heavenly against your cool skin, it was impossible to keep a calm face. He noted to himself that kissing your neck was to your satisfactory.  
You raised your arms silently and wrapped them around him suddenly pulling him closer. David had not expected that and lost his balance causing him to fall on you. You started to laugh.  
\- My apologies, I am not crushing you, am I?  
\- You could not crush me, even if you tried. you stated.  
\- Is that a challenge? he asked, looked into your eyes with a smirking smile on his face. Then he kissed you passionately, his lips playing on yours, trying out different styles and deforming to your kissing style. He learned quickly, well, he was monitoring your breathing and heart beat all the time, all the little moves and sounds you made, he missed nothing. He pinned your hands against the pillow and looked down at you for a moment before returning to assault your lips gently yet forcefully. Then he decided to test his theory on your reaction to neck kissing. You reacted as you had reacted before, although this time he did everything with more self-confidence. You gasped for air when he got a little bit lower and kissed your collarbone. He locked your arms more tightly against the pillow with his arms and you could feel his muscles tensing and relaxing depending on how he moved.

You rubbed the sole of your foot against his calf that was covered with the casual pants. You knew that no ordinary man could have restricted himself as well as David. Andrew had always tried to do the “warm-up-part” as quick as possible and it had left you frustrated many times. Although you had loved him deeply, you had always cursed him silently for not caring about anyone elses, yours, pleasure. David on the other hand was completely different. First of all, he did not get tired or bored. He did not “expect things” or at least he was being very gentleman-like about it. Even if it was difficult to think about anything, you were debating with yourself whether to ask him to take his shirt off or not, was it too embarrassing? 

David noticed that your mind was wandering. He stopped and asked  
\- Is this not to your liking? he sounded concerned. You smiled before you gave your answer.  
\- Very much so…  
\- I can sense that you’re concerned about something… Am I crushing you?  
\- No… I was just wondering… you said and blushed. David looked you curiously.  
\- …if you did not mind to take off your shirt. you said and tried to hide your blush even though it was impossible since David still held your hands locked with his.  
\- Certainly. he said.  
\- Would you like to assist me? he asked me and freed your hands. You groped the shirttail of his well-fitting dark gray t-shirt and managed to pull it off with Davids help.  
\- Now what? he asked as you ran your fingers on his muscular back.  
\- Now you could come under the blanket…  
\- If you insist. he replied and rolled to your side to find the edge of the blanket. He dived under it and returned back on you.  
\- Is this better? he asked.  
\- Yes. I want to feel your skin against mine. you said.  
\- Oh, I see… however, may I point out that now it’s my skin against your pajama. he said with an innocent tone. You laughed.  
\- Yes, this is only my humble observation. If I may suggest, we should complete the skin-on-skin-experience… unless of course, you do not wish to do so. I am not going to force…  
\- I know. you said and plucked up your courage. You took a deep breath and then nodded as a sign of agreement. 

David made sure once more that he had understood your answer and after getting a green light searched the hem of your short sleeveless pajama-dress. He pulled the hem to your waist and then sat up helping you to sit up as well. He pulled the dress off leaving you in your underwear. That was the furthest he was planned to go. He lay you down again and kissed you. His hand explored your bare skin under the blanket as your hands felt his muscles on his chest and shoulders.  
\- Does this feel good for you? you asked.  
\- Yes. You feel extremely good. he answered, slipped his arm behind your back and rolled on his back. In one short moment you had ended up on top of him. You sat up, supporting your weight with your knees. Then you ran your fingers on his chest breathing calmly. You wrote your name letter by letter to the skin as David followed your actions and enjoyed the new sensations your touch provided him. He memorized all the soft curves you had, even though your breasts were covered with your bra. You leaned down and pinned his hands to the pillow, to the both sides of his head. Then you kissed him on his lips and then planted soft kisses on his collarbones. No one had been as gentle and kind towards him before.  
\- Are you ready to wake up now? you asked.  
\- No! he exclaimed and rolled you back to bed again. He was between your legs and started to move rhythmically as he kissed you. His hand caressed your jaw and then moved slowly on your neck and further down. He continued your mind busy by kissing you as his hand moved to cup your breast. He was gentle beyond belief and all he did was very precise and thought-trough. He found your nipple that was covered with the soft fabric. He massaged it and then slipped his finger under the silky material. You moaned but your moan was suffocated by a deep kiss. He felt carefully the soft skin before touching the nipple. As he touched it, you gasped for air, which made him chuckle.

He made notes for himself; you responded the best to slow, gentle movements. He did not mind at all since he had all the time in the world; after all he did neither age nor die. He continued his exploration down, reaching the upper line of your panties. He refused touching you yet although it was apparent that it was ok for him to do so. You were not resisting even he had crossed some lines that he had not thought about crossing for some time yet. So he continued. He rubbed the back of your knee and continued caressing the thigh upwards slowly, sometimes stopping and backing out a bit. According to your reactions, it was time to move to the more intimate region.  
He reasoned that maybe it was sensible to let you breathe freely and moved to kiss your neck instead. He moved his fingers on the fabric of your panties without applying any pressure, teasingly. After teasing you a while he slipped his fingers inside of your underwear and stroked the hot flesh slowly, increasing the pressure and speed occasionally. You were slightly embarrassed of how wet you were already. David felt you tense up a little and lifted his head so he could look at your eyes.

\- Is this how much you want me? You’re basically ready for me and I have not even started yet. he said and pressed his fingers against your clit. The contact sent shivers all over your body and made you moan. He rubbed you and followed your reactions. Occasionally he kissed you and then returned to observe you. He could feel that you were about to reach your peak and he did not want to let that happen just yet. He slowed his actions down and chuckled. When your breath had settled he started again and this time slid his long finger inside you, moving it in and out slowly. Again he stopped.  
He added one finger and rubbed your clit with his thumb at the same time as he thrust his two fingers steadily into you. He kissed you hungrily and you could feel him getting hard against your thigh. This time he let you come but he did not let you catch your breath while doing it. He slowed his actions and then released your mouth. He lifted you to sit and unclasped your bra. He kissed your breasts which he found very beautiful and lay you down again. The next he removed your panties. You helped him by lifting your hips. He removed his pants also and returned to kiss you. You felt his hard member against your thigh without any clothes. He felt warm, strong and assertive, yet the skin was as soft as it was anywhere else in his body.

His member was long and thick. If you had seen it, you might had been sure that it would surely tear you apart or hurt at least. Andrew had been about an average in both dimension and he had never spent this long time on you.  
David looked at you calmly as he rubbed your clit with the tip of his penis. He adjusted himself to your opening and before he started to enter you he asked  
\- Is this what you really want? There is no hurry…  
\- Yes… you said and bit your lip. You were a little nervous and tensed up.  
\- Relax. he said soothingly. His voice was like melted chocolate, dripping from his beautiful mouth.  
\- I will stop if you’re in any kind of pain. he added. You smiled and relaxed yourself as much as possible.  
He started to enter in you. Slowly, occasionally stopping, making sure that you did not hurt. There was so much of it. He continued thrusting in slowly. When he was in all the way, he kept still for a moment and kissed you as he caressed your jaw by stroking it. Then he pinned your hands to your sides again, slid out of you slowly. When he was almost completely out he suddenly thrust it in till the base. You arched your back and he kissed your neck to add your pleasure. This he repeated a couple of times and then he started to move rhythmically, grinding himself into you. You wrapped your legs around his hips to allow him enter deeper. He sometimes quickened the pace and then slowed it down when he noticed that you were about to go over the edge.

He had learned about the female anatomy that most women were unable to receive an orgasm from a mere vaginal stimulation so he freed his hand by grabbing them both with his other hand over your head and then trailing the free hand softly down, lingering on your breasts for a moment and then continuing forward. He positioned his fingers so every time he moved his hips, his fingers caused friction to your clit. It made you gasp for air. You felt your peak approaching and this time he did not stop. He quickened his pace but pushed you over the edge with few long, deep, well controlled thrusts. He looked at you observantly as you came undone under him. Then he continued those long, slow deep thrusts and grinds until he reached his peak as well. He collapsed to kiss you and then slowly pulled out from you.

You panted and smiled. He moved next to you and took you in his arms. His artificial heart was beating like a drum in overdrive and his chest was moving up and down, fast at first and then returning to normal. He did not need to breath but he had been built to mimic a human to perfection.  
\- This was… rather unexpected. David said after a long silence.  
\- Oh, do you regret it?  
\- Of course not. I was just planning to take it this far later… much later.  
\- So you had thought about me this way?  
\- Well… isn’t this how people show their affections for one and other? That they care for each other…  
\- You care for me? You have affections towards me? you teased.  
\- Yes, of course. Most certainly. he said and kissed your forehead.  
\- I suppose I could ask you the same… he said and sounded rather unconfident.  
\- I’m not that type of person who would just play with you and your feelings, use you and then just walk away, you know…  
\- May I interpret what you said that you do care for me?  
\- Most certainly. you answered and snuggled closer even though it was not really possible. One good aspect in dating an android was the fact that he did not get tired, that meant that he was ready for a conversation or an intensive snuggle session when the human males wanted just to get some sleep, get some food or watch tv.  
He was happy for your answer, very pleased.  
\- So what now? you asked.  
\- I would like to get you somewhere safe. Build a life with you. Do you know any place where that could be possible?

You froze, rolled to the other side and left the bed, wrapped into a blanket.


	4. Leaving the city

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The winter is approaching but it is too dangerous for you to stay hiding in city.
> 
> But... can you trust David? What if he has been merely programmed to gain your trust and will rat you out to the militants as soon as you tell him something?

\- Where are you going?  
\- I cannot be in this bed with you right now. you said and walked out from the bedroom. Your heart was pounding. Why would he ask a thing like that? You were about to panic. David stood up and put on his pants.  
\- What is wrong? he asked.  
\- Did I offend you somehow? My sincerest apologies since I did not mean to…  
You walked around the living room nervously. David walked to you and put his hands on your shoulders, he stopped you.  
\- Tell me and be truthful… tell me the truth even if it hurt me… can you do that?  
\- What…?  
\- Can you do that for me?  
\- Yes…  
\- Okay… tell me your motives…  
\- I can sense that you’re afraid, anxious… panicking even… your stress levels are high and your heart rate is peaking…  
\- Stop analyzing me. Let me go! you said and shook his arms off. David took his hands off instantly.  
\- Just answer me.  
\- I’m afraid I did not understand the question. he said and kept his facial expression as neutral as possible, just to keep you being even more annoyed.  
\- Tell me, what are your motives. Why do you want to know if I know about any colonies and where they are?   
\- Like I said… I want to take you to safety and provide a life for you…  
\- Are you sure?  
\- What is it that you’re accusing me of exactly?  
\- Can you imagine how that sounds like to me, considering the circumstances of our first encounter?

It took a moment for David to process this notion and understand what you meant.  
\- Yes. You are concerned if I have been programmed to get information out from you…  
\- Yeah… and then make me lead you right to the innocent people so the militants can destroy them too. I have lost too many people already… I can’t… you said and started to cry. You collapsed on to the floor, crying hysterically.  
\- I trusted you! I let myself fall for you… but you and Andrew are all the same. Tell me, what did they promise you for doing this? I thought you saved me, but you’re just playing me, plotting against me. What is wrong with you? What is wrong with me? Do you have a tracking device on you? A built-in model? Is that where you go every night; to report everything what I’ve told you about me? That is so absurd… tell me that I’m wrong, please… just tell me… you sobbed. David kneeled beside you, lifted your chin and kissed you briefly.  
\- I understand that it might seem a reasonable explanation to you, instead of believing that a robot could love someone, you believe the most rational explanation, I would too, but…  
You shook your head, trying to decide whether to believe him or not to.  
\- Tell me that I’m wrong, and don’t you lie, don’t you fucking dare to lie to me! you said leaned your forehead onto his bare chest. He rubbed your back and talked softly to your ear.  
\- I want to provide a decent life for you; a life without fear and constant running. You asked me what my motive was; that is my motive. First it was because you treated me with respect, that is the reason I saved your life. I am aware that last night you were thinking about running away. If you had, I would had let you, even though it would had made me very sad. All what I’ve done, has been out of the most sincere respect and lo-…  
\- …and love?  
-… yes… and love towards you. You may or may not believe me, but…  
\- I do… I do believe you… it’s just… like you said yourself, the most reasonable thing to… I’m sorry. you said and hugged him.  
\- I’m so sorry… you repeated.  
\- It’s quite alright. I would had thought the same thing… the most obvious reason… And no… I do not have a tracking system, or I did, but I disabled it when I disappeared for those few days. Do you know what I did during those days? I was searching for a place… I found this place, it is sufficient, is it not? 

You nodded.  
\- I searched for information, processed it, analyzed it, every bit and piece of it and as a conclusion I understood that it is not right what they are doing. I wanted to help, I still want to help… even if it meant that I would keep you safe. You are my first priority now.  
\- Alright… you said silently.  
\- So may we get back to the original topic, please?  
\- Yeah, sure… So… there are… colonies. you said and observed Davids response.  
\- I am not entirely sure of the specific locations of the camps. I just know that there are people living outside the city, free.  
\- Maybe we should go and search for them… David suggested. What he had not told you was that the supplies in the mall nearby were running out and he did not know where he could find food and other important things for you two. He did not want to worry you so he left that part unsaid.  
\- At current time… it is too risky. you said and stood up. You tried to avoid eye contact with David because you knew that he was always analyzing you even when he did not mean to. Even though you knew that he most likely analyzed you anyway, whether you were having eye contact with you or not. Maybe the lack of it told more than thousand words about you, but you needed that privacy now. You had been cooped up in the small apartment for over two months, although you had not counted the days after fifty, and you had not even started to grieve for the loss of your family yet.  
\- Why is it risky? We could move during nights. Most likely we will not find a transportation and it would draw too much attention anyway… I could carry you…

You smiled but it was more like a sad smile than a happy one. You were trying to pull yourself together and hide it just how scared you were. You were scared that the weather would turn cold and being out in the wild without a map or actual knowledge of the camps… it could be a death of you. However you were tired of hiding, in fact you were sick of it. This is what you kept for yourself, you did not want to worry David with it. So you both kept secrets, major ones, from each other.  
\- There are risks in staying here too. he said softly, walking behind you. You were still wrapped inside the blanket from your armpits down but there was a icy cold draft coming from the window and made you shiver. David hugged you from behind, wrapping his strong arms around you and brushing his lips against your neck.  
\- Okay… you said and rubbed his hands. Saying that felt like a death sentence to you but it was not in your nature to hide and fade away either.  
\- When? you asked and inhaled slowly.  
\- The days are getting darker and colder, which means less guards patrolling… My estimate is roughly two weeks.  
\- Very well. Are there any winter supplies at the mall anymore?  
\- I’m afraid no.  
\- Anything?  
David shook his head, you could see his reflection doing so from the window. David felt the air leaving you as you sighed out of desperation.  
\- We’ll leave because we must, right?  
\- Yes.  
\- That’s it then.

It was obvious that something was bothering you. David did not want to ask because you seemed unwilling to talk about whatever it was. During the next days David gathered as much food supplies as he could found. He had told you to rest and gather your strength. The weather had turned significantly colder and it had been snowing almost every day, the nights had been mostly clear. That was when David went to gather supplies, leaving you alone in the cold bed. The apartment was leaking warmth from every corner and you were cold all the time.  
It was time to go. You had packed everything and dressed almost every piece of clothing that you had, all what you had was some light summer clothes that David had managed to find for you. You did not complain, though, David was not one to blame for any of it. As far as you knew, he was doing his best.  
You stepped out from the apartment. A cold wind hit you against your face however it was a beautiful night. You followed David as he led you to the most outer outskirts of the city. You kept yourself warm by walking and you insisted on walking until you were absolutely out of strength. That happened when you had been walking through the snowfall for three days and nights and had only stopped for small moments to eat and take some rest. You were walking mostly off road, just to keep hidden and there was a snowstorm approaching.

\- We should stop. David shouted through the wind and tried to find some kind of shelter. You were cold and tired. You just wanted to sleep and forget about feeling bad for slowing David down. It was obvious; David would be so much faster without you although he would never admit it, even for himself. He had been distracted, he had wanted to take you to safety because he had also heard rumors that the militants were going to inspect and burn every inhabited building; to be a lawful citizen, you had to be registered to some area of the city and to a certain building, so it was easier for them to keep track of the people. You and David however were fugitives, you would be shot without questions and David reprogrammed instantly. Most likely they would had reprogrammed David first, made him tell them everything and then kill you. They would thought it as “fun” and “ironic”. He had seen the military actions increasing in the neighboring areas, systematically moving towards the place where you had been hiding. He did not want to tell you, because he did not want to cause any unnecessary panic or distress. However worrying about that had gotten him distracted from the limitations of human anatomy, especially how well a human body took sub-zero-climate… or “how not-well a human body took seb-zero-climate” one could say.

It was getting dark again and all you could really see was snow everywhere. In that point you thought that David had gone on without you, or had not noticed that you had stopped… or maybe he had told you that he was going to search for shelter. Three days and nights without any sleep was too much. You couldn’t feel your feet and you fell on your face to the ground that was covered with a thick, deceivingly soft layer of fresh snow. You gave in. Sure the snow stung your face but the skin was numb already from the icy wind and snow.  
David saw a house. It was dark and looked abandoned. He quickly checked it out and was surprised when he found a group of people living there. He pleaded that you two could get some shelter, even for that night. They people were suspicious first but then agreed to help you if the price was right. “Anything” David said and then ran to get you.  
You were dreaming, actually slipping away from dreams to unconsciousness that was black and void. You heard Davids voice echoing around but could not say whether it was only a dream or real. David could not find you, he was disoriented and terrified because he was not sure if he could find you. He was scouring out the forest with the flashlight and then finally saw you laying on the ground, face down. You looked dead from a distance. He ran to you, turned you on your back. You looked dead even from close. You were pale and there were snowflakes in your eyelashes. He lifted you up carefully and carried you quickly into the house. 

David lowered you onto a sofa and started to rub your arms. He slipped his hand under your shirt and measured your temperature. You were at 31 Celsius degrees, suddenly he remembered everything that he had learned about hypothermia and cursed you for not telling him that you were cold. You must had been cold for some time already, maybe from the beginning. He cursed himself for not finding you proper winter clothes. He got a sudden flashback to the moment when you had said that it was too risky to leave. He understood that this was what you had suspected; that you would never survive a long walk in the wild during winter.

Your temperature dropped a degree before it slowly started to rise again. David had taken off his shirt and yours as well so it was easier to share his warmth with you. You sat on his lap, nesting against his chest, covered by a blanket.  
\- How come you’re ok? a man asked him.   
\- I am an android, sir, that is the reason why I cannot go into hypothermia.  
\- An android, huh?  
\- Certainly, sir.  
\- Are you traveling together? he asked.  
\- Yes.  
\- Isn’t it foolish to travel in this weather?  
\- I suppose it is, but we could not stay in the city.  
\- Are you outlaws?  
David weighed his options. He could tell the truth, but it was still unsure if these people were hostile or friendly. They were friendly still, but what if he told them that you two were running from the militants. A young woman, about your age, entered the room.  
\- I know her. she said and walked a bit closer.  
\- She is one of the young resistance leaders from the city. Her family was killed for helping people escape the military forces. I met her seven years ago when she helped my family to escape.

David processed the information. “Resistance leader”. No wonder you had been such an important prisoner. He scanned all the articles he had previously read about the resistance and remembered seeing your “wanted”-picture laying on the ground when he had been exploring the city. He immediately thought about Andrew and he felt his anger boil; it was unfair that a nobody like him had sacrificed someone like you. David also deduced that these people most likely were friendly since at least one of them had escaped the city with your help.  
\- So… android… do you have a name?  
\- I’m David.  
\- Didn’t all the androids work for the military nowadays? the man asked. David lifted his gaze from you to the man.  
\- That is correct. I encountered (Y/N) in the prison, where she had been taken to be interrogated. I helped her escape and we have been hiding for over two months in the outskirts of the city, in one of the abandoned buildings. Now we are heading to South to the colonies, to live free… he said and looked at you. He brushed your cheek softly and whispered “you and me”. The color was returning slowly and finally you opened your eyes.  
\- David… you sighed and closed your eyes again. He kept you close until you woke up. It was bright day and the only evidence of the storm was the untouched snow banks all over the forest. David was sleeping as you got off from his embrace. You noticed instantly your clothes on the back of a chair, neatly folded. Your body was stiff and it was hard to get dressed. You stretched your limbs and yawned. You covered David with the blanket that had dropped on the floor when you had stood up. You opened the door and walked to a room where there were about ten adults and few children.

You talked with the people for a moment. They told you how David had saved you and had not left your side all this time. “My David” you mumbled half-aloud with a smile. Then they asked about the rumors; the military groups were burning empty houses just to smoke the unregistered people out and food was almost out too.  
\- What? you asked surprised. The smile was gone. You wanted to confront David for withdrawing such information and keeping it for himself but then on the other hand, you had not exactly reminded him about the fact that you did not survive the cold climate. “I guess we’re even” you thought.  
You examined maps with some men and told them about the camps in South. You had heard the rumors about a place where there still was clean water and people were free. It was simple life without modern appliances but at least there was no danger or violence. David woke up. He noticed that your clothes were gone and he heard you talking in the room next to the room where he was. He stood up, folded the blanket and put on his shirt. He walked to the door and opened it. He saw you, a resistance leader, studying maps and talking to other people with an authority over them. You heard his steps and turned your head. Instantly your serious face lighted up and a wide smile appeared making you look ten years younger; the previous ten years had been especially hard and one sight of David wiped the years away.  
You were standing by a table, leaning to it with your hands. David walked next to you and placed his hand on yours “by accident”. As he was going to pull his hand away, you grabbed it and squeezed it tightly. 

At the same time one of the men asked you  
\- Have you thought about the proposition? Your future, your responsibilities… you have been silent for a long time… he sounded aggressive.  
\- Yeah…   
\- You have to decide soon if you’re going to embrace your role…  
\- I know… I just don’t know if I’m strong enough.  
\- I will send message to the camp… it is too dangerous for you to stay here. It is too dangerous for us too! he exclaimed and hit his fist on the table. You jumped slightly.  
\- I know, for fuck sake! you said and sounded highly frustrated.  
\- I need to talk with David… you continued and pulled David to that other room. He cocked his head and waited for you to say what you had to say.  
\- We can’t stay here. you said after you had closed the door.  
\- It is too dangerous for everybody if we stay here. This is too close to the city.  
\- Yes… but I have a question… why was that man talking to you that way?  
You walked a bit, trying to form a sentence and then slid your hand across the back of the chair.  
\- You have no idea who you saved, do you? you said and smiled shyly.  
\- A resistance leader… he answered and looked proud.  
\- Yes… but there is a certain reason why that… is me. you said and looked serious.  
\- Oh, I see…  
\- My grandmother was the president when the militants took over. I have been told that her rule was… challenging; the people were getting restless and different violent gangs were gaining popularity. you tried to explain.  
\- She was pretty old when I was born, when her daughter had me and soon after that the government was overruled and we, my parents and I, had to escape.. My grandmother died that day, her heart could not take the shock. First we lived a quiet life, causing no trouble at all… I remember nothing of that though. But then as the things got worse and my younger siblings got older, my parents decided to do something in honor of the last president.  
\- Your grandmother.  
\- Yes. So we started to help people to escape, formed a sort-of-resistance… group… you explained and did not know how to continue.

\- You really are a leader…  
\- No, not in that sense, but… there are still people who are expecting things from me, especially now that my parents are dead. They brought so much hope for so many people…  
\- Such big shoes to fill.  
\- I have not decided yet if I am the one to fill them. Such a huge responsibility… but… the point was that we can’t stay here.  
\- I understand. David answered and walked to a window to stare at the darkening forest. He thought that it was the least he could do to make sure that no one was able to sneak in the forest and then surprise everyone.  
\- So… any thoughts? What do you think about me now? you said after you had walked behind David and wrapped your hands around him. You rubbed your cheek against his back and moved your hands up and down on his chest. You slid your hands under his shirt. The sensation of his soft, warm skin made you think about the waking up the other morning, it was almost three weeks ago. Since then the physical contact has been limited to only a few quick kisses here and there. You had been stressed out about leaving and so had he. Now that the future seemed unsure and occasionally it felt like the walls were falling over you, you just needed and wanted to feel close to David, both mentally and physically.  
David answered something to your question but you did not pay any attention to it.  
\- You know… this is the last time for a while that we’ll have a warm bed in sight… you said and smiled against his back. Before David answered anything, someone knocked the door and opened it.  
\- (Y/N), you are requested to discuss about plans. You had let go of David and walked to the door. David turned to watch you go. You took one last glance at him and said  
\- Think about that.


	5. Taking advantage of the bed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smut

You knew you were being a tease and you hoped that David would get the hint since asking for physical contact did not come easily for you. You were too proud to beg and too shy to ask or to make any suggestions. So you gave a subtle hint and hoped that David would take it from there.  
David smiled to himself. Then someone came to tell him that he could go and make a bed for himself and you to the basement. He was being told that you were welcome to stay until tomorrow morning but then you two just had to get on with your journey. David nodded and asked what he owed for this hospitality.  
\- Nothing… only that you keep her safe. We have great plans for her future.  
\- Certainly. I am honored to. he answered. He was honored but also a bit sad since he well knew how you felt about planning the future for you and putting you in that situation where you just had to take the responsibility and a huge risk. He was also concerned about the way everyone just expected things from you without knowing you better, although he realized that he himself had not known your true identity and maybe it was him who did not know you. Partially he was right but it did not matter. Not right now at least. In his books you had been as honest as you had felt safe to be; he was aware of the circumstances of your first encounter after all.

David was offered some blankets and pillows and then he followed the person to the basement. It was cold and humid but it was far better than being outside. There were two mattresses in the corner of the space and lots of candles on the table that was in another corner. David got a box of matches so he was able to light the candles. He prepared the bed and decided to put those two mattresses on top of each other. he reasoned that it was warmer to sleep in spoon anyway.  
It was not late but you had thought that it would be the best to go to bed soon because tomorrow was going to be a long day. The man, a group leader obviously… the one who had asked you about your plans, had promised to give you two a snow mobile that was in the separate building near the house. It had a full tank of gasoline and it would make it easier and faster to get away from the danger zone. You thanked the man for it and gave your diamond ring that had been made of white gold as a payment for it. As money had lost its value, all gems and other valuable items had become the currency in the world gone to shit.

David walked up the stairs as he wanted to come and tell you that the bed was ready. He had something else he wanted to tell you too. He saw you talking with the man while leaning onto the table again. He walked next to you and greeted everyone. He let you know that the basement was ready. You thanked him for letting you know. Then he turned to you and whispered  
\- I want to go down on you.   
At this point it was relatively easy for you to keep your cool. He looked around to make sure that no one else heard him. Then he continued  
\- I want to taste you. I want to slip my tongue inside you… he said and smirked.  
-… just as you come. he continued. He registered that your breath had changed a little and it was getting harder for you to keep a straight face.  
\- You want me to make you come? he asked and observed your reactions. There was no answer from you. You just bit your lip casually.  
\- I can do that… want me to do that? he asked and waited for your answer. He placed his hand on your lower back. You sighed and closed your eyes for a moment.  
\- I’ll take that a “yes”. he whispered and moved away from you. He wished everybody goodnight and said to you  
\- Come to bed soon, we have an early morning tomorrow. he said it in such a neutral way that no one could had ever guessed what he had just said to you. You replied that you will just take a minute. 

When he had closed the door after him the man asked you  
\- So you and the android…  
\- His name is David and he is much more human that many of the people I’ve lately met.  
\- What happened to Andrew? I thought you were supposed to lead the resistance forces together…  
\- Don’t you dare to mention his name to me. He sacrificed me and my family for his freedom. I would had understood if he had just sacrificed me but my family as well… after all we did to him. My parents took care of him when his family was imprisoned and he repaid by selling my family for his life…  
\- Oh…  
\- The last time I saw him he was totally wasted… surprised to see me alive… just a shadow of a man he used to be… or… what he could had been. Actually the whole man was a joke. A coward…  
\- And David saved you and now he is your… lover? Manservant? Friend? Bodyguard?  
David was listening to the conversation behind the closed door. He was waiting for your answer.  
\- David is the only person in this shitty world that makes this shitty world worth of living. I trust him and yes… although it does not concern you, I do care for him very deeply… He is my friend and… much more.  
David was satisfied with the answer and went to the basement. He made sure that the candles were in safe places and the bed was comfortable. He had been brought a bowl of warm water and a washing cloth. He took of his clothes and folded them neatly like he always did. Then he took the cloth and dipped it into water. He washed his face and chest, arms and also lower parts of his body. When he had finished, he washed the cloth and put it on the edge of the bowl to wait for you.

You opened the door to the basement and walked down the stairs. You did not see David anywhere but before you had a chance to call for him he surprised you by whispering into your ear  
\- Finally… he turned you around and kissed you hungrily. He pulled the shirt off and kissed your neck as his hands explored your body. He took his time before even touching your breasts. His fingers touched your skin as lightly as feathers and then suddenly almost roughly. He helped you to get rid of your pants, leaving you in your underwear. At this point his touches changed from modest to daring, still avoiding the most intimate areas.  
This time he placed his hand suddenly on your breast and massaged it before slipping his hand under the fabric. Then he did the same to your other breast and kissed you deeply. He pushed you against the table that had been emptied from the candles. Now there was only the bowl of water and the washing cloth. David opened the hooks of your bra and slipped it off. His hand found your bare breasts quickly and touched them teasingly. He forced you to sit on the table with your legs slightly parted. “Slightly” however was not enough for him. He was not wearing any clothes and he rubbed himself against your panties.

\- Take me now, hurry. you moaned. He chuckled.  
\- There is no “hurry” with me… he said and took the washing cloth. He dipped in the water that had cooled already and then wiped your arms and shoulders with it while kissing you. He wiped your back slowly as he breathed warm air down your neck. The feeling was hypnotizing. He rinsed the cloth and then squeezed a bit of cool water on your neck and collarbones. Water dripped down on your breasts, making your nipples hard. David chuckled as you arched your back, he took a nipple in his mouth as you offered it to him so generously and played with it with his tongue. He sucked it suddenly which caused you to moan and move your hips against him.

David was getting hard already but his patience had no limits. He had wrapped his arm behind your back and washed carefully the breast he had been just playing with as he moved to repeat the same with the other. After washing your upper body he pulled you off the table and turned you around, telling you to keep your hands on the table. He pulled your panties down slowly and as they had dropped to your ankles, he pressed crotch against your ass as you were offering it to him. He took the cloth again and slowly washed your thighs, knees and rest of your legs. He rinsed the cloth and squeezed the cold water on your ass. After that he washed your butt cheeks the last and put the cloth away.   
He still insisted that you kept leaning to the table with your hands, pinned against the table and his strong body. He stepped between your legs forcing you to open them more. He was behind you and he kissed your neck. You turned your head to reach his lips but he did not kiss you until he put his hand on your throat and guided your lips to meet his. At the same time his other hand teased your breasts and his hard cock rubbed against your butt. His hand continued its journey from your breasts lower, to your stomach and even lower. He teased you by stroking your lower lips lightly and chuckled when you were clearly frustrated. You moaned “please” but it made him chuckle even more. Then he attacked your lips with his mouth as he pressed his fingers against your clit. You would had probably screamed from pleasure if you had not been silenced by his mouth. Now he started to rub you and slid one of his fingers inside of you. It was not enough for him. He pulled his finger out and inserted two fingers with the one that was already slick with your juices.

You gasped for air which was granted for you so you would not pass out, not yet at least. He kept rubbing you and rubbing himself against you as you rubbed your butt against his cock. Then you felt him come. He chuckled and removed his fingers after few deep, almost painful thrusts. He was not going to let you come just yet. You sighed from a lack of contact, thinking that it was over. He turned you around, kissed you and pulled you with him. Then he pushed you down on the bed and you realized that it was not over.  
\- Remember what I said to you? he said and looked straight into your eyes.  
\- What? you panted.  
\- I told you that I want to taste you… make you come… have I made you come yet?  
You shook your head.  
\- You made me come, with your delicious movements… he said and kissed you. Then he kissed your neck as he got lower and lower slowly. He stopped at your breasts and let his hands travel lower to tease you by touching your thighs. He kissed your stomach and got lower. Then he repositioned himself and spread your thighs. He made a pleased “mmm” sound as he kissed the inner thigh. You grabbed a hold of the mattress as he took his first slow long lick all the way from your opening to your clit. He told you that you tasted heavenly and could not wait to slip his tongue inside you as you came… oh, you would come many times. Then he really started to assault your clit with ever changing speeds. Slowly and sensually at some times and then suddenly sucking roughly. He fucked you with his fingers as he licked you. As you came he locked your hips against the mattress and removed his fingers, placing his tongues as deep as he could. Then he started again, leaving you breathless and without a moment to calm down. When you were completely exhausted he returned to kiss you, almost suggesting that it was over. You however were not done yet.  
You rolled him on his back and kissed him hungrily. You sat on his lap, rubbing yourself against his resting manhood. You kissed his neck and chest and continued kissing him lower as you reached the tip of his cock. It was slick from you and you rubbed it with your hand a couple of times before kissing it and sliding your hot tongue all the way from the base to the tip. Davids cock was huge and you were not sure if you were able to take it into your mouth. You decided to try anyway. David looked at you mesmerized and closed his eyes when you took him into your mouth. He was getting hard again.

You sucked him for a moment and when he was fully erect you removed your mouth and repositioned yourself again. David opened his eyes and watched you as you positioned yourself above his cock. Then you lowered yourself on to it slowly, inch by inch. When you were all the way down you started to grind yourself against him. David put his hands on your hips and moved in the same rhythm with you. He rubbed your clit and sat up, keeping you on his lap. You wrapped your arms around him as he kissed you. He rubbed your clit and pulled you tightly against him with his other hand that he had placed behind your upper back and neck. You both were getting close to come.  
Without a warning he flipped you around, on the mattress. His cock slipped out from you. He looked you intensely when he thrust it from the tip to base in one forceful move. He bit your neck and the pain intensified the pleasure pushing you over the edge in seconds. David felt your orgasm around his cock and he quickened his pace reaching his peak almost simultaneously.

It had been early when you had retired but now it was getting late. David kissed you as he pulled his half-hard cock out. He surprised you by thrusting it in a couple of times before really pulling it out. He got next to you, as you rolled on your side. He spooned you and fell asleep in his arms almost instantly.  
David woke up before you. He kissed your bare shoulder and remembered that you were both naked under the blankets. He massaged your breasts gently and slipped his hand between your legs. You were still wet from the previous night. He started to rub you gently, thinking about all the ways he could wake you up. You were still sleeping and breathing calmly. Most of the candles had burned out during the night and now it was almost completely dark.  
He rubbed you slowly and moved a bit lower so his cock was right at your opening when it got hard. You moaned in your sleep and woke up when you reached an orgasm. You bit your lip and continued “sleeping”. He was hard now as well as aware of your awakening. He moved his cock slowly and carefully inside you. He moved slowly and gently while you “slept”. You moaned and turned a bit to kiss him.

It was almost painful to be fucked again but you wanted him now that you still had a chance. The next time would have to wait and there was a high chance that there would be no next-time.  
\- Take me from behind. you moaned. David slipped out from you and turned you on your stomach. He placed the pillows under your belly to lift your ass up. He lowered himself and positioned himself to your opening. Then he entered you, slowly again. You changed the angle by raising yourself and lifting yourself up on your all fours. Like this David was able to penetrate you as deeply as possible. His fingers found your clit again and he started to rub you teasingly. Before you came he pulled you standing on your knees and wrapped his arms around you so that his other hand played with your clit and the other massaged your breast and occasionally stroked your jaw.  
\- Do you trust me? he asked.  
\- Yes…  
\- Tell me when you’re coming. he said, his voice was hoarse unlike ever before.  
\- Soon… you moaned and he squeezed your throat blocking you from getting air. After a moment you felt your world go dark as you were going to black out from the lack of oxygen as you were getting close to an orgasm unlike anything before. You fought it because it felt like being too much but you had no other choice than to surrender to it and let go. When you blacked out, David removed his hand from your throat and kept you close to him as he reached his peak. Then he lowered you down on the mattress and slipped out from you for good this time. He lay beside you and took you into his arms. You recoiled soon and said  
\- Good morning.  
\- Slept well? David asked and kissed your forehead.  
\- Yes… and you?  
\- Certainly. I think we should start getting ready. We have a long day ahead of us…


	6. Journey continues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You wake up and it is time to continue your journey further south.

\- Day? Might be a long week… or a month… hopefully not a month! you said and got up. You got dressed to winter clothes that you had gotten from those people in return for a silver chain that you had found in a drawer of the apartment where you had been staying. Gems were useful. David got dressed as well. Then you both gathered your stuff and went upstairs. The man showed you the snow mobile.  
\- Do you know how to drive this thing? the man asked David.  
\- Of course. he said and hopped on the snow mobile. You hopped behind him and wrapped your arms around him. Then you drove away. It was so much easier to move with a decent transportation , it was almost like flying through the forest compared to walking and tripping over… well David did not fall down or slip but you did more than every other minute. David had offered to carry you many times but you insisted on walking… and then you had been slowly slipping into hypothermia.

You arrived to an abandoned gas station, you needed to fill up the tank or it was back to stumbling, slipping and falling. You had been traveling for a day and a night, heading steadily into South. The temperatures were dropping and there was mist all around. David hopped off and you followed him. He tried to find out if there was any gasoline left in the tanks. You walked around, it was silent and even the air was perfectly still. You shouted to David that you were going to check inside the gas station. Maybe you could find some supplies… food… batteries to your flash lights… anything really.  
The station had clearly been abandoned in a hurry and then completely robbed after. There was no way you could find anything useful there, you thought as you walked among broken furniture. You said “hello” a couple of times but there was no answer. You walked to a backroom and found a family there. The children and the mom had shot wounds in their chests and the dads brain was scattered around the wall behind them. The corpses were relatively fresh and one of the bodies moved as a rat came out from it’s mouth. You felt like throwing up and ran outside. You sought something to lean on so you would not pass out. David saw you and stopped whatever he had been doing. He ran to you.

\- Are you alright?  
You looked at him and were totally pale. You could not say anything, that was how terrified you were even though you very rarely were rendered speechless. You fell on the ground to sit.  
\- Let’s go inside to sit… David suggested.  
\- I’m not going in. you mumbled. David tried to lift you up but you just rejected all of his attempts.   
\- I’m not going in! you exclaimed which made him to decide to check the place up.  
\- Stay there. he said and went in. He walked silently and carefully through the rooms and found the exactly same sight that you had found just few minutes ago. He also was thoroughly disgusted but luckily he lacked the gagging reflex. He walked around and checked the place for supplies since you had failed to do so. At that point he felt frustrated and said to himself  
\- Why do I have to do all the dirty work here while someone just sits around… he said and looked for you. However you were not sitting where he had left you.  
Indeed you had gotten up when you had heard a noise from the snow mobile that David had parked next to the gas pumps.

\- Hey! What the hell do you think you’re doing? you said when you saw three men around the snow mobile.  
\- I think I just got myself a snow mobile…  
\- Get away from the fucking mobile! you shouted and ran to defend your transportation.  
\- Oh, do you come with the ride? I could use a ride like you… one of the men said and the other two laughed.  
\- What did you say? Huh! you raged and pushed the man away from the mobile. He was drunk and fell down.  
\- Feisty, are we? he said as he got up. He winked at his two buddies who grabbed your arms, holding you in place. Then he came right in front of you and even though you tried to get away, you could not move. First it looked like the man was going to kiss you but he punched you right in your stomach. You lost all your air and whimpered for a moment.  
\- Shut up, bitch! he said and lifted your head up by pulling roughly your hair. Other man saw David who was coming to help you. However you managed to step with full force on his feet and then punch him in his face with your elbow. As he was stricken by sudden, completely unexpected pain, you managed to get loose and kick the other man to his knee. You heard it crack and the man fell on the ground whimpering. The man who had punched you took a step backwards.  
\- Step the fuck away from the ride! you shouted and looked terribly angry. The man took a pocket knife and opened it. He licked the blade and grinned at you.  
\- Seriously? you said and forced yourself to keep your ground. Luckily the man was drunk. When he attacked you, you managed to dodge and then punch him in his exposed side, which made him drop the knife. Then you finished him off by hitting him in his back so he fell on the ground. You kicked the knife away.  
\- It’s “Bitch Resistance Leader” to you, sucker!

All this had happened in few seconds and by the time David reached you, the men were crying on the ground.  
\- All this for a fucking ride! you said with a highly frustrated tone and kicked the shoe of the man whose knee you had injured.  
David walked to you and put his hands on your shoulders. You were shaking from the adrenaline rush.  
\- I came to help you, but it seems that you… can’t stomach dead people but can handle three grown men, that are alive… he sounded amazed.  
\- One was drunk.  
\- Oh… that changes everything then. he said and put his forehead against yours.  
\- So tell me, David… did I defend the ride for nothing or did you manage to find some food for it?  
\- The tank is full.  
\- What a relief! you sighed and laughed nervously. You were calming down. David was keeping an eye on those men.   
\- Where have you learned to fight like that?  
\- In the streets… there were guys that needed to know their place. you joked. One of the men was showing signs of recovering, it was the man whose knee you had injured. You turned around and took one mean look at him, which he saw and he returned to play dead again.  
\- Yeah, you’d better! you exclaimed. You walked to the man and lift him up to sit, leaning onto a gas pump.  
\- So tell me… where is the nearest city? you asked coldly. The man was very co-operative and pointed to East, where the fog was clearing away.

\- And who is in charge?  
\- What? he mumbled.  
\- I asked “who is in charge” there. you said and grabbed his collar.  
\- I am… he said and spat on you. You chuckled mockingly and turned to David.  
\- Can you believe this shithead!   
Turning your head was a mistake because the man drew a hunting knife from his shoe and cut your arm with it. The blade was very sharp and you could not feel it at first. You let go of his collar and twitched his knee in return for attacking you. He passed out from pain.  
\- Your arm… David said as he noticed the sleeve of your jacket turning red.  
\- Can you find some rope from inside? I’m not done talking with these fuckers!  
\- But your arm…  
\- Preventing this from happening again is the priority number one. you said and took the hunting knife for your protection. David hesitated.  
\- Go! …Please… you said and tried to keep yourself together. David ran inside and after a while he came out with rope. You and David checked the mens pockets and shoes for even more knives and then tied them down. You were getting a bit nauseous for bleeding and getting high from all that adrenaline.  
\- May I attend to you now? he asked. You nodded and took off your jacket. Luckily the cut was not deep; you thought it as a mere surface scratch but David saw it as ten times worse than you did. He had found a bottle of antiseptics from the medicine cabinet and some roll bandage. He tied the wound skillfully and you put the jacket on again.  
\- May I ask a question?  
\- Of course… what is it?  
\- What is the reason that your behavior and personality changed completely when you were with those men?  
\- It did, didn’t it? Yes… well… It is a role that I have to play to gain authority. It is cruel, I know, but there are people who do not listen to “pretty please”…  
\- People like those men?  
\- Yes, exactly like those men.  
\- Have you killed a person?  
\- No… never. I have injured some, hurt many, but killed, never. I’ve seen people being killed… Once my friend got shot right in front of me as an example. She was ten at the time and I was almost twenty. I had to tell her parents what had happened! The look on their face… I probably will never forget it.  
\- Why did she get shot?  
\- She stole some bread because she had not eaten for a day… She got caught and they wanted to set an example of her. So they shot them and left her to bleed to death on the street.  
David was silent. He processed the information and got a mental image of a ten-year-old girl getting shot for a piece of bread.

\- So I guess now you understand, why I had to learn to fight and why I have to have a mask… an equally cruel and cold mask that hides the grieve and weakness. So please never question me in front of people like them. Agreed?  
\- Yes… he answered and nodded. You smiled slightly.  
\- I guess it’s time to go and play the bitch again. you said and turned around. You had been a bit further away talking and now you returned to your hostages. You asked about the city, who was in charge and so it happened that there were gangs in the city and one of these men was a gang leader. You asked if there had been any of the military people and they said that they had seen a few but they had not stayed.  
\- Hmmm, interesting. you said to David.  
\- This is your lucky day, boys, you’re going to take us to the city and guess what… you either play ball or stay here and freeze to death and I will be the leader of your gang. How does that sound?  
\- And who were you again? the leader-man asked. You took a “wanted –poster” from your pocket and unfolded it. You showed it to him. The man looked at your picture.  
\- Wanted by the military… you really are the resistance leader…  
\- Stranger things have happened! So, do we have a deal?  
\- Yes… I would shake your hand but my hands are tied… he said. You nodded to David and he opened the ropes. The men stood up, even the one with injured knee. You pointed them with the hunting knife and then offered it to the man whose it was. David followed you closely. You stared at the gang-leader. He nodded as he took it. None of the men tried to attack you or David anymore. You shook their hands and got in their car. You followed you them by the snow mobile.

\- How did you know that he would not attack you again? David asked.  
\- I didn’t… you answered. You arrived to a yard of an old factory. The gates were closed after you. Now you really hoped that they played ball. You were introduced to the most important people in the gang.  
\- We have a prophecy… one elderly woman said.  
\- A prophecy? you asked.  
\- Yes… We heard that there will be a new leader who will unite the people and rise against the military forces.  
\- Is that so? you asked.  
\- Yes… we have heard that she is traveling with a man who saved her from the military… the woman said and nodded at David. David nodded back.  
\- And now they are traveling to South where she will hopefully embrace her role and return to save the people from the cities.  
\- That is the plan. you said and bowed as a sign of respect before you left the room.  
\- Do they really have a prophecy?  
\- There is always a prophecy, which changes to match the rumors and the rumors change to match the “prophecy”. It could just as easily been “he” instead of “she”.  
\- But…  
\- You are a man of science, are you not, David? Do you believe that our lives are predestined?  
He analyzed all the data he had about the subject and then answered  
\- During the time I worked with the scientists, we did not discover anything that had proved that there is a greater plan…  
\- There, you see?  
-… However we did not find any evidence stating the opposite either. he continued. You started to laugh.  
David loved it when he managed to make you laugh. You laughed too rarely nowadays.  
\- Tell me, can the resistance leader have a… a… what is that word again… a man in a relationship…  
\- A boyfriend? you asked and smiled.  
\- Yes… 

You smiled and took his hand.  
\- I would be just a half as strong without you by my side. You are my true North, David. I could not do this without you… and I do not mean in a way of “you’re very helpful” but in a way that “this shitty world is worth of living with you in it”. If you know what I’m trying to say here… please feel free to cut in anytime…  
\- Yes… I… got it. he answered and smiled. He sounded proud, very pleased at least. He raised your hand onto his lips and pressed a kiss on your knuckles. Whatever happened, he was going to be there for you till the end...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anyone reading? Should I continue?


	7. Life in the city

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Being surrounded by death constantly starts to break you down mentally,

Your arm hurt but you did not tell anyone about it. You could not show any weakness or else there was a chance that you were not being taken seriously. That was something that you could not tolerate, not if you were going to embrace the role of a leader, any sort of leader. The truth was that you were also afraid to tell David about the arm. You knew that he wanted only what’s best for you so therefore he would force you to rest and you could not have that either. Resting in a situation like yours was not to be tolerated. It would be a bad example to everyone else. The times were hard to everyone equally.

You walked in the city and met people who told you their life-stories to you. Every story was even worse than the previous one and made you hate the world. You had never seen the world that would had been a good place to live, no, there had always been hunger and extreme poverty, some people had too little fresh water and some people had no ground to which they could had built a good life on.  
You had been lucky though. You had had a family, a strong family but then you had fallen in love with the wrong guy who had then betrayed you had lost everyone, even your will to live for a moment, although David had managed to restore it almost completely.

Yes, almost.

Your mind was currently under an enormous amount of stress and sometimes you just wanted to give up. Those days you stood on the roof of the high building where you were now resting, watching the sun disappearing behind the horizon. Waiting for your strength to be restored so you could really start taking the role of a leader. By the strength you meant both the physical and mental and you felt you were lacking both.  
That was if you were even going to take the role. After all it was more than just a role that you could stop playing when you did not feel like it anymore. To be the leader meant that it would become your life and you would live it and breathe it with every cell there was in your body. You had not decided it yet and there was pressure from almost every direction, people telling you constantly what you should and should not do. David however never told you what to do and for that you were grateful. But he saw your struggle although you tried to hide it.  
People in the city did not know that David was an android and you rather kept it that way. It would had just raised questions and made people suspicious about his motives. You after all always treated David as a person anyway so in your books it did not matter.

It bothered David, however. He had always seen humans in a way that was partially very mixed; first of all he had been created by them so in a way it made him a lower being but then again, he was so much more efficient and his resources were almost limitless. He did not necessarily need to eat or sleep, his memory capacity had no limits, he was fast and strong. He could multitask endlessly or focus on just one specific task. There were no limitations… or… the truth was that now there were. His “humanity” was his new limit.  
He had now his own will and he had gotten a spark of life, he was doing what he thought was right and not what had been programmed by someone else. So in his eyes he was almost a superhuman and sometimes he got annoyed when you told him to… not to really serve you but the fact that you were someone and he was just your boyfriend, not even that because you had not kissed him for ages. He wanted to be known as himself as well and not just your man-servant.

This put some strain on your relationship. The fact that you had your tough-mask on almost all the time and you did not let him close like you had previously done, was eating him from the inside. He wanted to be the strong one to carry you sometimes but it was always the same; you carried yourself and you did it with your head up high. David had been proud of you, he still was, but in a way he felt meaningless, like he had no purpose and he did not know how to be human with all those unnecessary feelings. Yes… feelings.  
He saw that you were slipping deeper into the darkness as you hid yourself behind the mask. Your eyes were tired and sad, like you had seen too much. Your shoulders were burdened for hearing too many heartbreaking stories. Your arm was not healing completely, although he did not know that, because you did not rest and sometimes he found you just staring at the fading light with a numb look on your face.

“If I’ll let her to become this leader, this savior that everyone is expecting her to become, will she fade away entirely?” he thought. “Will she then be the woman I love?” These questions bothered his mind as they went on a never ending loop in his mind. He went through his memory files of you almost every night, played them over and over again and stopped to focus on the memories where you had laughed or smiled. It was after all something that you did not do anymore.  
“This city is not a good place for her” David decided but could he force you to leave your so called duties behind? Could he function against the way he had been built, he had been built to serve after all, and could he question your authority? And if he did, would you start hating him?

You were standing on the rooftop again, all alone, staring at the darkening city. “Keeping guard before the night patrol” as you always said but David knew that you just wanted to be alone for a moment. He was nervous about disturbing you. Ah, nervousness, one of those new feelings that he had gotten familiar with. He did not show it that he was nervous but he sometimes got a strange sensation of his stomach turning upside down although there were no physical reasons that could had caused that.

\- (Y/N)? David started. He wanted to have a serious conversation about everything, mostly about his observations. He had measured that your body temperature was always slightly low, you did not eat enough, you did not rest, your stress levels were dangerously high and your mind was almost always far, far away. You were also avoiding physical contact with everyone, including David and it was bothering him.

He did not get sexually frustrated but what bothered him was the way you did not let him to provide you either the pleasure or the close companionship that you surely were longing for. You hardly ever had long conversations with him like you had when you had been hiding in that small apartment with him. And you never cried.  
It troubled him greatly. He knew everything there was to know about the human anatomy as well as the psychology so he basically saw the signs but since he was emotionally close to you, he had missed them completely. He kept wondering if he could had done something differently, was this something he had caused, but none of the facts were not pointing in that direction, but still he was worried.

Yet another thing that he had started to experience; he knew all the facts and could think about all the sides of the story there were to consider but still he was sometimes unable to made decisions based on those facts so therefore he based his actions on what he felt although what he felt made no sense sometimes.  
His judgment was clouded the most when it came to you. He had thought that you were only stressed out and tired when if he had been analyzing the signs in the most efficient way, he could had been able to point out that you were actually depressed. You had not been talking about the future anymore for some time and now David found himself worried because he was not sure if you still saw a future for yourself.

You recoiled from your thoughts and turned to face the handsome man who was standing with the perfect posture a couple of meters behind you.  
\- Hi David. you answered and smiled briefly before returning to stare at the city.  
\- May I join you? he asked and waited for your answer before taking any steps to any direction.  
\- Sure. you said and glanced at your companion. David walked to stand next to you and reached to take your hand. When he did he had a sneaky opportunity to measure your body functions such as your heart rate and temperature.  
\- May I be completely frank with you? he asked then after he had analyzed your mental and physical state.  
\- Of course. you said and squeezed his hand. You however were avoiding his gaze because when it came to David, you had no poker face. He had inhuman senses after all which meant that he missed nothing. If you took a moment to think about an answer with your heart rate rising or if your pupils were dilated he knew instantly that you were lying.  
\- I have a reason to suspect that you are depressed. he stated and monitored how that word “depressed” made you feel.

You did not know what to answer. Sure you had not been the happiest person that you could had been but who could blame you when there was so much sorrow and death around? You turned to look at David who was scanning your expression to get any hints of your mental state.  
\- Please do not mind me pointing out but you have all the symptoms and I have been… occupied… and… inhibited to see it before. I have come to a conclusion that this city is making you sick. he said with a calm, soft tone.  
\- This world is making me sick, David. you answered and hoped that the conversation was now over. It however was not. David wanted to know what your opinion was. He still wanted to provide you a peaceful life somewhere safe but you acted in a way that made him wonder if that was still something that you wanted or had your plans changed. Did you have plans anymore or were you just… as hopeless as the rest of the people in the city.  
\- What about all the plans of a better life we used to have? Have you abandoned them all already? he asked. His tone was slightly less calm than it had been and in your ears he sounded almost like he had been accusing you of something.  
\- There was never a better life with me. What I am expected to do… the way the world is now… I was hoping that there would be a glimmer of hope somewhere but this city is just as dying as the previous one. you stated with a sad tone. It confirmed David’s fears to be justified; you had lost all hope and could not see the light in the end of that endless tunnel like you used to.  
\- These people, in my opinion, are waiting for someone else to save them without realizing that they should try to save themselves-  
\- But… look at this world! How is anyone supposed to-  
\- You cannot save them! David exclaimed. He never exclaimed because he was proud of the way he could keep calm in every situation. Now however he felt desperate. Yes, again one human feeling that he had been forced to face and get familiar with.

\- What would you have me to do then? Tell me, if you’re so wise. you scoffed. You were being mean but in a way you knew that David was right, you had not been yourself for a long time and you had not allowed him close for a longer time but you kept wondering why David did not understand your point of view of the matter. He had the limitless brain capacity after all so it was not about “being unable to understand” but “being unwilling to understand” and it annoyed you.  
\- My capacity exceeds yours-  
\- Oh… you said with an irritated, highly sarcastic tone.  
\- Therefore I think that I am more… qualified… to make these decisions. he said. He had never pointed that out to you that he was in fact smarter than you were, that he was in fact superior.  
\- What are you saying? you asked and pulled your hand away from his.  
\- I am saying that if you continue on this path, you will either die or I will have no other choice than to interfere. David stated with a firm and assertive voice. He was not going to tolerate any disagreements from you.  
\- What do you mean by “interfering”? you asked and stepped a little further away.  
\- You will leave me no other choice than to take you away from this city-  
\- You would sentence these people to die, David. you stated with a desperate tone.  
\- By staying you sentence yourself to die! he exclaimed. His tone very rarely was nothing but calm and controlled but now he sounded desperate. When he sounded desperate, he did not really sound like himself which he did not like. He did not want to be too human, so he just rather selected the parts of it that he liked and kept his machine-like precision when dealing with more difficult things. Humans after all were so inconsistent because their feelings.  
\- Or is it what you want? To die? he asked. There was sadness in his voice, but he still sounded quite emotionless. He wanted to challenge you He had been your loyal friend all this time, never questioned your decisions, always stood by your side but now… Now he just couldn’t because he was worried. You were his first priority after all.

\- No… you answered after a silence. He took your hand almost forcefully and pulled you in front of him so he could analyze you.  
\- Your pupils are dilated, your heart rate faster and you are avoiding eye contact. You are lying. he stated with a firm tone. You pulled your hand away. He was right but you could not deal with it now.  
\- Stop analyzing me! you shouted and walked away. David stayed on the roof for a moment and the returned to the small living quarters that you were sharing. You had spent almost 6 months in the city and during that time you had faded away almost completely. You had started to wish that you would just die an honorable death. There was no one left to miss you, no one except David and he was able to reprogram himself surely.  
Your arm was still aching and it was preventing you from training for combat which had caused rumors to spread in the city. Maybe the prophecy was wrong and you were needlessly spending their resources. The gang leader who had sworn allegiance to you some months ago was now plotting against you, behind your back, but you always knew that there was something going on. It was obvious because the discussions always ended when you stepped into the room. There were always long stares and glares and people dared to even laugh at your face.  
It made you feel like you had failed although you had never known exactly what you were supposed to do. You and David had tried to help the people in the city and you had made small excursions to the cities nearby to gather supplies and survivors.

During those 6 months the city had gotten more restless as the rivaling gangs had started to fight against each other instead working together and there were even militants in black jackets scouting nearby the edge of the city. You had started to talk about abandoning the entire city but your suggestion had not been taken seriously. You had an ominous feeling, almost like a shadow darkening your mind that something bad would happen soon and the increasing amount of militants was a clear indicator about that. You had seen it happening once although you had been too young to remember it clearly but your parents had talked about it very much so one day if it was going to happen again, you would see the signs and react.

You had tried to react but no one was paying any attention. That had added to your depression. It had been a week since David had confronted you about your health. You were getting ready for the night patrol when there was alarming news; the militants were approaching the city and they had been burning buildings from the suburban areas as they had come closer. Now there was only two choices left; to fight back or to flee.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter dedicated to Lovelygirl2406 . Finally got some ideas for the plot :D
> 
> xD Sorry for taking this long :D
> 
> \- Venla :)


	8. The fight begins

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Things take turn into the worse direction.

David could not accept your reasoning. It made no sense to him. It bothered him, ever since he had had that conversation with you on the roof he had gotten very mixed feelings about you; on the other hand he respected your stubbornness but then again you made him feel angry. Anger; yet another feeling that had not been programmed into him, but what he had learned to feel as the bug had given him the free will.  
He had been watching you sinking deeper and deeper into darkness and it made him angry and even though he loved you, the anger had started to consume his mind. He was not familiar with such intense feelings and they were messing up with his rational mind which he hated. It was so human that he thought that with this rate he was becoming too human.

He had had this dream, a dream that he would take you far away from the death and suffering to a place where you could rest and get better as he would take care of you. He had been studying his memory files, reading everything he knew about farming land and surviving in the nature. He had planned that he would kidnap you and force you to give up that poisonous goal of saving everyone even if it meant that it would be the death of you. He knew that if you died he could reset himself. He would no longer feel anything, not even the negative feelings that had followed when he had been introduced to the strong positive feelings such as love, genuine respect, longing and joy. But the thing was that he quite liked to do as he himself felt to be best.

But there was yet another human quality he had learned; selfishness. On the other hand he wanted to be selfish and take you away and keep you for himself but then again he had started to feel that you only caused him pain and suffering and maybe you would cause him that even in the future too, even in the case that he would save you and you would not respect him for that because your own selfishness. 

He thought that you were being selfish because you kept putting your own “duties” which were nothing more in his opinion than masked ambition in front of him when he had made you his first priority. This was unfair in David’s opinion and he was bitter about it. “Ah, bitterness, nice to get to know you, the whole scale of human emotions!” he thought and hated you for starting this corruption. He had secretly despised humans for being so easily distracted by their feelings and now he had been infected with the same virus and you were the thing that had caused it. You and your damned love.

You were no good for him. About this he was now sure. If you did not see a future for yourself anymore, there really was no real reason why he should stay around. He wanted so much more from you and it hurt that you were not going to give them to him. He wanted you to see the madness in your self-destructiveness and how you were taking him with you when you did not choose to save yourself for him.

After he had given you the ultimatum on the rooftop he had hoped that you would come to your senses and let the other people fight the battles but you had not. You had only shut yourself down even more almost like you had wanted to hurt him by showing just how little he meant to you, how little you actually loved him, just how little you actually cared.

No, you were not good for him at all and he did not want to save you. You would have to find the way to save yourself or at least find it in yourself to ask David to save you, but like this, with the way you now were, you did not deserve it and he was not going to do it. Quite opposite actually.

He had decided to leave you. He would not serve you anymore because you did not serve him. He had wanted to be your equal and before coming to this city you had treated him that way. Now you only cared about the people that you did not even know and who were ready to betray you and laugh right at your face because you were weak. Oh, human weakness, he hated that.

All these new negative feelings just consumed his mind and prevented him from seeing things clearly. When he had previously always considered all the sides of all the matters at hand, now he did not bother although he could had done that instantly without any significant effort. He just felt that it was not worth it anymore. Things were easier when you only cared about your side.

David would had needed your support. He would had wanted your support. You should had been there for him to guide him, to teach him to understand those feelings like you had been there to teach him about love. He had not understood it but you had taken your time to make him see what it meant and now that no one else knew that David was an android so he could not really ask anyone else to explain human feelings to him either.

His life had been fairly uncomplicated before he had met you. You had messed him up and he on the other hand was grateful for it but then again, his life would be so much easier if he had just followed orders. Now he could not anymore and he was going indeed to do the thing that fought against the basics of his design and purpose. He was going to betray you by leaving you behind. He wanted to live in peace, he did not want to live among all that suffering. He wanted to be selfish for a change.

You had not noticed these changes in David. You had been too focused on other things and too blind to everything else. Unfortunately “those other things” concerned your relationship and the man you loved although sometimes you now felt that you were too tired to even remember what love was and how it made you feel. You had forgotten how to feel anything else than grief and you had also forgotten how to want anything else than a honorable death that would surely glorify your life and make it all worth it.

You were getting ready for the battle. David had decided to try once more and if you did not come into your senses, he would go and he would not even tell you because he did not want to face your either sad, joyless expression or the fake-confident bitch-act that was the only thing that you knew how to do well these days. David decided he would point out that your arm was not well and in the battle you would most likely only get hurt worse, maybe even die. Maybe giving you these hard, solid facts would make you see that all he wanted was to keep you safe. Then if you did not honor that, if you did not honor him that much that you would save him from the pain of losing you, if that should happen, he would just walk away. It would hurt for a moment but watching you like this hurt more. You had not been good for him for a long time.

\- (Y/N)… he said as he watched you getting ready for the fight. You had that same empty look on your face that you nowadays always had. It was either that or the tired, sad look that you tried so hard to mask by acting tough.  
\- Yes, David? you asked without stopping what you were doing. It annoyed David greatly because when he talked to you, he always paid attention. You however did not even look at him now.  
\- May I cut to the chase? he asked. His voice was soft and his tone was polite, like it always was. You were jealous that he could stay so calm although he was surrounded by death and suffering. Every day. He was so lucky that he was not a human.  
\- I would prefer if you did. you commented and checked the blade of your long katana-sword. You had ran out of ammo for the weapons a long time ago and now you had to fight with anything and everything that you could find. You had managed to find an old Japanese store that sold old, used samurai swords.  
\- Your arm is not well. I have analyzed the way you move it and it does not match my memory files from the time before the attack. It means that you are not fit for battle. David said. His tone was very analytic and there were no unnecessary nuances. You knew that he wanted to keep you from getting annoyed but that annoyed you just as much.  
\- I cannot do this now, David. you stated. You still had to sharpen the sword and check your pathetic armor.  
Then he snapped. He had never threatened anyone before but now he suddenly said  
\- If you’ll go into that battle, I will leave you.

You stopped to think for a moment and for a fraction of it David was relieved. You could not believe what you were hearing but to be honest, this was not the time for any relationship drama. Then however you continued.  
\- Fine. Leave then. you stated and continued what you were doing. It hurt David. Just the fact that you did not even look at him when you broke it off with him. Did he not deserve even that amount of respect and kindness from your part?  
\- After everything… Everything… you choose them instead of me. he summed with a tone that revealed that he was hurt, offended and insulted.  
\- It is not that simple! you exclaimed and turned finally to look at him.  
\- It is. he said and nodded.  
\- Then so it shall be. you said and put the homemade nail-bomb into your back bag. David looked calm but on his forehead there were a couple of horizontal lines that you had not seen before. His eyes looked blank. He nodded and then turned away.

After 45 minutes you were called to lead the frontline which was actually a plot to let the enemy eliminate you so no one had to arrange “an accident” to happen all so conveniently. You did not question the plan and if you had, it would not made any difference because no one was listening to you anyway. You had seen the signs, you had tried to warn everyone but no one had listened to you. They had just told you that the enemy was far away and due to the intel they had, there was no reason that they would attack the city.

You sneaked to the outskirts to the city and the fight begun. You lost some lives even during the first couple of hours while you were not able to do any real damage to the enemy. They had better weapons than you did and although there were not that many of them to begin with, they had professional armor and you did not. Soon you felt your arm getting sore to the point that you could not fight anymore. You had to swallow your pride and retreat. By doing so you abandoned the people who were still swearing their allegiance to you. It was an efficient plot to eliminate you and your followers for sure. Unfortunately you were too blind to see it.

David saw you fighting in the distance. He saw that you were hurt, now even more than before, and his artificial heart almost stopped when he saw you falling to the ground when the enemy threw a grenade nearby and you fell from the pressure wave. For a moment you did not stand up.

David waited and waited. Just as when he was about to run to your aid, he saw you standing up and shouting “retreat”. You returned with only a handful of survivors to the camp. David followed you from the shadows trying to make the other gang leaders to see that there was nothing else to be done than to evacuate but you were only ignored.  
Seeing you like that made David feel something new again; empathy and pity. He noticed that empathy was much greater feeling than anger and it made him remember all the good things better. He could not leave you. He did not want to leave you. He finally understood that he would regret leaving you for the rest of his life, which was basically an eternity and most of all, leaving was the wrong thing to do. It was everything that he did not believe in, it was something that would make him hate himself eventually. He walked to you after you had sought solitude to take care of your wounds. You sat down panting from pain and noticed him looking at you with a heartbroken look on his face. Before he could say anything you stood up and shouted  
\- Go and don’t you come back!

David realized instantly that he had betrayed you at the moment when you had needed him the most and he had no other choice than to leave you. If he had had a heart it would had broken and even when his heart was made of wires and artificial tissue it still broke into pieces but he had no other choice than to go.  
After that you were not fit to fight anymore and therefore you started to evacuate people to the other side of the city by yourself, having only the support of your most loyal followers to help you.

The enemy was defeated eventually but you knew that it was only the beginning. You had seen their worst and this was not even near it. You had no energy left to mourn for losing David. He had been the only thing that had kept you going this far, even the darkest night he had been your lighthouse and now even that light was gone. There was nothing anymore but you did not really care. Too many people had died and too many people were still going to die.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read the comments yesterday and noticed that had promised Angel_Style a chapter as soon as I had come up with a plot.  
> Well... the plot is actually from your head. I hope that I will be able to do justice to your vision :)
> 
> So this chapter is for you!


	9. The last stand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You decide to go out with a bang.

But your grief was turning into anger. You could not stand the way the other gang leaders just belittled the casualties and thought that the danger was over now that the small battle had been won. It made you so angry that they assumed that it was now alright and the militants would just give up. No, they would not give up. They would gather their troops and strike again and this time they would strike hard making sure that no one would survive.  
You were still being ignored and it made you terribly angry. Therefore you decided that you would return the city you had escaped six months ago. You decided that you would go there and rip the headquarters apart with your bare hands if you needed to. You however knew that you would probably get killed but the way you saw it, it made no difference. You were emotionally done anyway and without David life was not worth the trouble.

You felt numb and your heart was cold. There were people dying every day and you could not just sit and wait anymore. Therefore you made up your mind that as soon as you were physically able, you would leave and return to your old city. You knew that returning was dangerous and you would face so many memories, both good and bad, that would surely hurt you to the point that being caught and killed was the more gentle fate than to stay alone and watch the world burning in front of your eyes. No, that was not the fate you wanted. You wanted to go out with a loud bang and take as many bad guys with you as possible.

It took a month to heal completely. That time you spend planning the attack and gathering supplies that you could turn into bombs and weapons. David stayed gone and you assumed that he had probably done a complete reset anyway. Sometimes however you felt like someone had been watching you from the shadows but you assumed that you were just being either too hopeful or just paranoid.

You were mistaken. It was David who still kept on eye on you and considered you as his first priority. His ego had been hurt when you had told him to go but he was not ready to let you go. He was kind of waiting for a moment that he could come to your rescue or otherwise make himself useful to you and that way reenter your life.  
He did not know your plan but he had a pretty good guess about it; you were going to return to the place where you had been kept as a captive and then bring chaos as much as you could. He knew that if you proceeded with that plan, you would most likely success with that “bring chaos” –part but then fail staying alive to see it. He was worried that maybe you did not even want to stay alive. Maybe the world was too evil for you to handle after all, but he was not blaming you.  
David was tormented about all the things that you had faced during your short life. Your family had been killed, you had been betrayed, tortured and then betrayed again. Then your grief and depression had turned into anger that consumed you and swallowed all other feelings. He was surprised that you had survived even this long but it was getting clear that you were reaching the edge of your own willingness to continue.

Then one morning you packed your few things and left. You had managed to get a car and with that it was quick to make the journey back. You ditched the car when the tank and the spare-tank were empty and continued by foot. It was easier to travel now, since it was summer and moving as well as navigating in the forest was no big deal for you.  
David had decided to follow you. He had a problem though; you had a car and he did not. It was no obstacle for him to run back if he had to but the thing that he was worried about was that if he arrived to the city too late, you would surely get yourself captured or killed before he was there to save you.  
When you finally reached the city you were in a need of a rest. You found the apartment building where you had spend those couple of months with David. The apartment felt still like home and you remembered that you had once been happy in the middle of the world that was rotting in ruins.

You stared at the dark city that looked exactly the same but you knew that the things had only one direction where it all was heading and it was worse. That was the only direction and there was nothing to it. You decided that you could not think about “saving” the world because it felt like a responsibility that could crush you easily, besides you knew that the world was not saved by destroying one evil organization, especially when there were many… but instead of concentrating of the enormity of the task at hand or the fact that your actions would not make a big difference in the large scale, you focused on the thought that your actions would be a wake up call and inspiration for other people and as the new wave of hope would spread, then the world would change to better.

The thing that made you sad was that you most likely would not be there to see it. That also was one of the reasons why you had allowed yourself to take a couple of days time to rest before getting on with it. You wanted to sleep in the same sheets where you had slept with David. You wanted to pretend that any moment now he was going to return to you, sit down and put his hands on his lap as he would wait for you to ask what he had seen and heard outside.  
You wanted to remember what it had been to be held by him, to be touched by him and to be one with him.  
You had been happy… but it was such a long time ago that it did not really feel real anymore. Besides you had been happy for such a short time that it really felt like it had been only a wonderful dream from which you had been so cruelly woken up. One would had thought that by now you would had gotten used to losing people but the truth was that it was never going to get easier. Every time you lost someone, even though you had known them for a small moment, it felt like a part of you had died and by now you had assumed that there would be nothing left to die…  
You were so wrong.

When David had left, you had lost that part of you that still had mattered. You understood his reasons and now that you stared at the apartment, the home that you had shared with him, you knew that he had been right. He had had the right to abandon the ship that was sinking, slowly but surely, and there was nothing he could had done because you had refused either abandon it with him or even put on a life jacket.

So you decided that tomorrow was the day when you would go out with a bang.

You did not sleep, you could not close your eyes because you wanted to remember that last night. If you went to bed and fell asleep you would just wake up and then it would be time to go… but if you stayed up all night instead, thinking about your life and focusing on the good things, it would feel worth it when you faced your death and stared at it directly in the eye. Without fear, without regrets and without mercy.  
Then it was morning. The sun was not up yet when you left the apartment. You knew how to pass the checkpoints without being seen. You got closer to the headquarters knowing that the only way you got in was if you got caught. You had no idea where the service tunnels that David had used were and you could not waste time searching for them.  
You had learned to shoot arrows during those 6 months in that other city. Since there were no ammo left, the people had been forced to come up with more traditional weapons and arrows could be made quite easily from wood. They did not need to be anything fancy, it was enough if they hit the target and did some damage.

You shot the gate guards and when more guards came, you knew that they recognized you and most likely did not kill you, not instantly at least. You were counting on that. You were pushed on the ground but no one bothered to check your bag. When you were taken to the militant leader, for your surprise he freed your hands and tried to offer you a deal; your freedom for the information he needed to take over the other city.  
You played along knowing that you had the bomb in your bag that was on the table. You just had to set the fuse on fire and the bag would explode and spread the nails all over the control room. You had to get a reason to open the bag so you told the militant leader that you had some maps that you would like to share with him. He asked you why and you told him that you had seen too much to care and the other gang leaders had betrayed you so you had no reason left not to do the same. He asked you why you had shot the guards and you answered that you had to gain the leaders attention somehow. He just laughed and stated that if those guards were stupid enough to get killed by a childish toy, then they probably deserved it.

The man laughed. He stated that he had known that you would be willing to screw anyone over for your own benefit. Then you got a permission to take your bag. The man walked to the table so he could see the maps for himself. You distracted him with one map, handcuffed him to the bag and then took a lighter out from your pocket.  
The man stared at you with a surprised look on his face. You stared at him back for a blink of an eye and then dropped the lighter into the bag. There were lots of dry paper that got the fire immediately. The man shouted and guards came in. You managed to run to the hallway when the bomb went off.

A sound of loud sirens woke you up. When you opened your eyes you were unable to see much. The hallway was dark and the air was filled with smoke. There was something on your leg and although it did not feel injured, it was stuck. You started to get rid of the junk that was keeping you from moving but you were about to pass out. Then suddenly you felt a part of strong hands pulling out you from the pile of different kind of bits and pieces that had previously formed a control room.  
You focused your eyes and realized that it was David. He helped you up and took your hand so he could lead you through the darkness and smoke to the service tunnel and into the freedom. Moving was slow and soon there were guards chasing you. You did not want to die anymore. You wanted to escape with David and leave this all behind. You, in your opinion, had done enough.

You followed him to the door of the service tunnel. He opened it, wrapped his arms around you and kissed you briefly. Then he pushed you into the tunnel, told you to follow the yellow markings on the floor and find your freedom once more. Before you had time to react you heard the door closing with a loud bang and the lock clicking shut. The door could be locked only from the inside and since the guards were going to catch you both soon, he reasoned that he could get you some time by locking the door and fighting for you one last time. You tried to open the door and screamed David’s name. He told you that he wanted to save you and that he had been happy, truly happy, with you. His voice sounded sad and happy at the same time and then he thanked you.

The last thing he told you was that he loved you and would always cherish the time with you although he would not be able to remember it. He would reset himself so the enemy would not be able make him tell anything. His voice was calm. You cried and told him to come with you, you told him that there was still time if he just opened the door and…  
Then you heard the sound of gunfire as the guards fired their guns at David. 

There was nothing you could do so you had to go.


	10. Saving David

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You leave David and stumbled out from the facility. You however feel guilty for what happened to him so you cannot let it go. You must save him.

You forced yourself to go. You had tried to reason with David but he had not followed you. In a way you blamed him although you knew that it had been possible, probable even, that you both would had been captured and killed. There would had not been a scenario where you would had been taken to a cell, no, you would had been shot instantly for killing their leader. Then David had come and saved your life. You knew that you would had suffocated if he hadn’t come. You were conflicted about him saving you; in a way you were thankful but then again, he had ended up getting caught and shot instead.

Sure you knew that an android did not die from shooting. Hell, you could rip one in half and they still were functional and reparable and you also knew that the militants would not destroy him, a perfectly utilitarian android… but what broke your heart was the notion that he was going to reset himself and most likely had done it already. That meant that everything you had loved about him, his personality, his memories… his love for you were now gone. Knowing that he might walk past you on the street and he would not recognize you, it made you question the point of your survival.  
What was the point? You were injured, not much but a little, the love of your life was gone. He might be turned into an enemy and you might find yourself in a situation where the man who was not the same anymore, but looked exactly the same, would try to kill you and you would have to kill him. There was no way you could do anything like that. If ever you should find yourself in that situation, you might just decide let go, give up and embrace the end.

But it was such a waste! David had been a human. He had encountered most of the human feelings and love had been strongest of them. He had followed you and come to your rescue even though you had told him to get lost. He had risked himself for you and then sacrificed his humanity to save you. Of course you appreciated it that he did that because David had a massive amount of data stored in his memory and some of that data was highly sensitive and if it ever got into the hands of an enemy, it would put so many people to risk.

Still… you blamed yourself. You should had done so many things differently. You shouldn’t have shut David out when he tried to help you. You shouldn’t have leave him alone when he started to experience the negative emotions. You now realized how terrible it must have been for him; to be stuck with those feelings that wanted him to operate against his very nature, his entire purpose. Sure humans felt those emotions too but human beings learned to deal with them during the childhood. It was a part of the natural growing-up-process which David had never gone through.  
No, he had suddenly just felt anger, frustration, nervousness, bitterness and disappointment but there had been no one to teach him how to live with those feelings. You knew that you should had been there for him. You had been there for him when he had learned about love and compassion, hell, you were the one who had started it all, and you had encouraged him to embrace humanity.

No, there was no way you were going to leave David in the hands of the enemy. He had loved you as much as one person can love another and you had failed him. It was cruel what you had done, the way you had risked your own life and behaved recklessly. It had been cruel that you had assumed that he would surely just reset himself and continue his life. You had completely ignored the fact that David had wanted to be a human and he had so much to lose. In a way he had had more to lose than you did; when you did not necessarily appreciated humanity that much… well, lately you had not because there was not much left of it in the world, so you had even thought that life would be so much easier as an android. David however had appreciated his humanity, his feelings and complexity of being capable of experiencing them.  
You found a hiding place where you could rest for a moment. You needed to cry and catch your breath, maybe to sleep a little but you were quite sure that you would not be able to relax that much. You knew that the militants were now looking for you but then suddenly you felt your head nudging as you came back to the reality. Your eyelids were weighting too much and you had to give in.

The dreams that you had were disturbing. They were a combination of your happy memories and the sad ones. You woke up when someone kicked your boot to see if you were alive. You jumped and tried to grab anything that you could use as a weapon. There was nothing and you had lost your belongings in the explosion. “She is alive” you heard someone saying. You could not see the person because it was dark and you were blinded by a flashlight.  
Suddenly someone put a bag made of fabric on your head and forced you to stand. You were dragged to an underground bunker and then sat down into a chair. When your hands had been tied down, the bag was removed. The room was not that brightly lighted but your eyes hurt in any case.

\- (Y/N)?! a man exclaimed. You asked for some water and surprisingly your hands were immediately released and water was provided to you. You emptied the glass quickly and thanked for the water. Your mouth had been so dry that it had felt that surely there was more water in Sahara desert than in your mouth. Luckily the water helped a little and you were able to talk.  
\- Where am I? you asked. Your head was hurting and it was hard to make sense of anything that you heard or saw.  
\- Among friends. We were lucky enough to find you before the black-jackets. They would had surely killed you instantly. Tell me, was it you? a man who was standing in front of you, leaning onto the wall, asked with a curious tone.  
\- What do you mean? you asked because you did not know if you could actually trust this person, besides you assumed that whatever damage you had been able to cause, was nowhere near to be visible from outside.  
\- The explosion! the man exclaimed and spread his hands as he described the explosion to you.  
\- Yeah… that was me. you answered and tried to figure out why the man looked so familiar.  
\- You destroyed their facility almost entirely! he said with a tone that had an undertone of admiration in it.  
\- I wouldn’t say so… It was nothing but a small, homemade nail-bomb. you answered.  
\- Maybe so, but it caused their petrol storage to explode a bit later. the man told you. You went through your memories and realized that there had not been a big explosion during the time you had been awake and surely you would had noticed an explosion that big. If you had been in when it happened, you would surely been killed.  
\- When did that happen? you asked and focused your gaze to the man. He had a little bit gray in his hair so it meant that he was about your fathers age… maybe he was one of his old friends.

\- Yesterday. he answered. His voice was calm and he was monitoring you at all times.  
\- Yesterday? I went there in the morning… I must have been unconscious for a day! you exclaimed. It was a miracle that you had not been found by the enemy. Your hiding place had not been that good after all because you had basically just crawled to the first dark alley that you had come across.  
\- Almost a day and a half. the man corrected. He was equally surprised that you were alive and somewhat well.  
\- I need to go back. you stated after a long silence.  
\- What?  
\- There is someone that I need to save. you stated but did not expect the man to understand.  
\- That android? Yes, we have heard the rumors. he said and there was an undertone of scorn in his voice. You did not appreciate his tone so you answered with a firm tone  
\- He saved my life… not just once or twice. I owe it to him.  
\- I suppose you’re right… Although he might not even be around after that second explosion. the man stated with cold tone. He was right. It was possible that the explosion had torn him apart beyond any repairs.  
\- Yes, it is possible but I have to try. you answered and stood up from the chair. Your muscles were aching as well as the leg that had been buried under the pile of junk. You however could not sit down like an obedient little girl and tolerate being looked down to.  
\- Hm. However you cannot go there just guns blazing. You need a pla-  
\- I had a plan! And it worke-  
\- And the man you loved was just collateral damage, an acceptable loss? the man asked. He had a point and you had not mean to sound like you had not cared about David. Losing him was one of the most hurtful events in your life.

\- No! Of course not! That is why I am going back! you stated and spread your arms as you sighed “gosh!” You were frustrated and desperate and having someone telling you that you did not care about losses enough was just… unbearable.  
\- Well, you cannot go alone. the man said after you had calmed down.  
\- I am alone. you answered with a distant tone and stared at the man with blank, tired eyes that had seen too much. It was so unfair that someone who did not even know you, claimed that you did not care. You were getting angry and walked around the room like a predator that had been captured and put into a cage.  
\- You still have allies. he said and motioned you to calm down.  
\- Do I? you asked. You sounded like you were on the verge of either exploding or bursting into tears.  
\- Yes… There are still people that rather live free in this city. We lost our leader some months ago and the whole community has been falling apart ever since. the man explained. His voice was calm and reminded you about your father and maybe even David.  
\- I am not your savior, I am too damaged for that. you stated. You felt that you were not strong enough to make decisions that would determine the fates of people that you did not even know. You had tried to act as a leader in the other city and it had turned out to be a disaster.  
\- No, not a savior but someone who will lead us and we will fight, side by side. the man said.  
\- Why would you risk everything? you asked after you had breathed in and out slowly a couple of times.  
\- Because, (Y/N), hiding underground is not really a life worth living. the man answered. You knew what the man meant.

You realized who he was; he had once been a close friend of your fathers but it was such a long time ago. You had thought that your city had been completely overrun but you had been wrong. You rested for a few days and then started to plan for an attack alongside your fathers friend. They had the means and supplies for a real attack and after three and half weeks you had a plan ready, people trained and ready to go.  
You had decided that you would go at night because then you had the cover of the darkness. The mission was to cause havoc and save David. Just before you about to go, you thought that it was necessary to say few words. You thanked the people for risking their lives and reminded that there was no obligation for them to follow you, if they wanted to retreat they were free to do so. You appreciated that they at least tried and you were not alone after all.

Then you left. There was an army in total of 30 men and women to attack the facility that was currently under reconstructions. You were not that heavily armed but you had planned to use their own weapons against them. You knew the service tunnel and although you found it now locked, you had brought a device to breach the door. You were surprised to encounter only a little resistance as you continued further into the facility. You did not like the idea of killing your enemies but the reality was that you had no means to capture them and take prisoners so therefore you had no choice than to eliminate the ones that did not surrender. You found out that some of them were ready to switch sides now that their leader was dead and their organization was breaking apart from inside because there were many people fighting for the rule and they had started to even kill their own people for disagreeing or questioning the orders.

You did suspect that it was a trap but soon you were convinced that it was not. The militant gave you his keys. He did not want to have anything to do with the organization anymore. He told you where to find him in case you needed help in the future. He was going to stay in the city but this battle you were currently fighting, was not his. Then suddenly there was a blond, tall man in a uniform shooting at you. He was further away but slowly walking towards your hiding place. He looked familiar, or his physique did, although the way he moved was now completely different; there was no character behind it.

\- That one you cannot kill! the ex-militant said and told you to run. He ran away himself and left you with your fathers old friend and one other man to hide behind a wall. Your world stopped when you realized that the man was actually… David. He had been reprogrammed to be an armed guard who was meant to kill anyone who did was not a member of the organization.  
\- David! you exclaimed to your fathers friend.  
\- That one? Are you insane? he asked because he knew what you were thinking about. You were going through the ways to save him and ignoring the fact that he was now shooting at you and would kill you if he had a chance.  
\- I must… Do you have that taser gun? you asked.  
\- I do, but…  
\- When I have tased him, he will be unable to move for a moment, my plan is to get some robe and tie him up, bag his head and take him away from here. you stated and wondered if your plan was a suicide mission.  
\- But…  
\- Then we will figure out what to do with him! you stated and looked for a way to get behind David without being noticed. That was the only way for this plan of yours to work.  
\- (Y/N), there is nothing left in him. He is only a machine! your fathers friend shouted as he watched you leaving the hiding place. You had to take a closer look of the surroundings before leaving entirely.  
\- He was never a machine and I know that he would disapprove what he is doing now if he had a chance to question his orders. you shouted back as you kept looking around.  
\- You really are insane-  
\- I owe it to him. you said and walked back to him. 

You pointed at a hole in the ceiling and asked the man to help you up. he shook his head and gave you the taser gun but agreed to help you up anyway. You turned the gun up to the maximum power as soon as you were securely up in the ventilation duct and then sneaked closer. You managed to crawl behind David through the duct and dropped yourself behind him as the man created a diversion. You stood up immediately, said “hey” and as he turned. You stared straight into his eyes that now carried no emotions whatsoever. The sight made your heart ache. 

It was obvious that to prevent the previous events that had then ended with him helping you to escape, they had programmed him to be completely emotionless killing machine. He was no android, he was just a robot, but you hoped that if he could be reset again, he would at least be an android. Not a robot that has been made to serve and carry out tasks that had been programmed to him, but an android that had been made to interact and think for himself. That was the least you could do for him; to make him the way he had been intended.

You fired the taser and David dropped his gun as he started to shake.  
\- Sorry, love. you whispered as he fell down on the floor unconscious. Then your fathers old friend came with the robe and tied David up. You waited that he restarted himself and then helped him to stand up, took a look at his eyes that were staring at your with a blank, emotional expression and then put the black bag made of fabric on his head. David tried to fight back but soon understood that he was not strong enough to free himself.


	11. David the enemy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You capture David and take him to the camp.

You dragged David out and took him to the underground bunker. There you sat him down to the same chair where you had been sitting a month ago. His arms and feet were tied to the chair that had been securely bolted to the concrete floor. David tried to shake himself loose again but stopped soon when he had calculated all the possible ways how the situation could play out. None of those scenarios led to his freedom so he decided that it was not reasonable to fight.  
You took the bag off and stood in front of him with your arms crossed.

\- So David. you began with a firm, evaluating tone.  
He did not answer. He only stared into your eyes without saying a word.  
\- Now, here is the thing; I don’t want to hurt you, but I will if I must… So I would appreciate very much if you decided to co-operate. you continued and tried to find any trace of spark in his eyes. There however was none. He did not remember you and even thought he was staring at you from a rather close distance, he showed no signs of recognizing you.  
\- I have clear orders. he said and stared at you. His eyes were empty and although he looked just like a human, his eyes were almost frozen and made him look like a machine.  
\- And they are? you asked and shifted your weight from one side to another.  
\- My sole purpose is to kill the enemies of the organization that I have been built to serve. he answered and sounded like a pre-recorded tape. Maybe he had been programmed to answer in a certain way in case of being captured.  
\- I see. you commented and looked at him with a thoughtful look on your face.  
\- I am a machine and you are my target. he continued. His tone was calm and distant, cold even. There were no nuances or other traces of any emotions in his voice.

\- Ha-ha! They really fucked you up, David. you stated and stepped a little bit closer. You squatted down in front of him and tried to read his face.  
\- You must know that every second I am counting the probabilities and one mistake from you will lead into a painful death. he stated.  
\- Well, ain’t that lovely. you said and stared at him. His answers hurt you. The whole situation hurt you. One side of you was tormented to see your loved one tied down and wanted to set him free but the other part of you knew that if you did that, it would be your instant end. It was clear that David you loved was gone and he had been degraded as a mindless robot who was only repeating the threatening lines he had been programmed to say.  
\- Reset yourself. you demanded after a while. You did not want to see him like that. You knew that you would never get the old David, the man you loved, back but anything was better than what he was now.  
\- I am not allowed to do that-  
\- Reset yourself and do it right, or we will reset you and something might go wrong. you threatened, stood up and looked at him with calm, yet clearly threatening tone.

\- You would not dare. he answered. You chuckled a bit and walked further away from him.  
\- Do not test me, David. You are a threat and I am ready to eliminate that threat. you said and hoped that speaking “his language” would do the trick. He had been programmed to eliminate threats himself so you hoped that he understood the concept of you doing the same thing. David evaluated his options. It was possible that you would reset him and before that download the information he had about his creators, the ones that he thought that had created him.  
\- So? What do you want to do? It is needless to say that we will discover all your secrets eventually. you said although you were bluffing. You did not have that kind of equipment but David clearly assumed so, according to the fact that he was still calculating his options and forming an answer. It was painful to see David in that state. His capacity had been set to minimal and getting answers from him took forever. The militants had been afraid that if they kept David in his full capacity, he would eventually start working against them, like had done before.

David’s head dropped and he closed his eyes. You walked closer to him and shook him a little from his shoulder. He did not respond. After 30 minutes he raised his head and looked at you with a neutral expression as he tilted his head a little bit.  
\- My default language is English, would you like me to keep that? he asked with a soft tone.  
\- Yes, please. you answered.  
\- Very well. Are you my supervisor, Miss…  
\- (Y/N). you answered with a calm, friendly tone.  
\- Miss (Y/N)?  
You thought about the question for a long time. You wanted to say answer that he had no supervisor and he was free to operate by his own consciousness but then again, you did not know what the level of his understanding of right and wrong was. You got lost in your thoughts and after a rather long moment of silence, the sound of David’s voice brought you back.  
\- Miss (Y/N)? he repeated.  
\- Yes, David. I am your supervisor. you answered and smiled a little.  
\- Very well. May I point out that I have a very beautiful supervisor? he answered and a delighted, faint smile appeared on his face.

\- There is no need for compliments. you answered instantly. It was too much that he looked exactly the man you loved but deep down he was not that. Therefore you did not want him to be too friendly with you and compliment you. It was hard enough without him showering you with smiles and kind words.  
\- Very well. Shall I set my capacity to the maximum level or-  
\- Yes! you exclaimed without hesitation.  
\- Certainly. Do you wish to call me David? he asked. His face was neutral, mostly at least, since there was a small undertone of curiosity under it.  
\- Yes. you answered and smiled.  
\- Very well. I am quite fond of that name myself, if I may say so. he stated and smiled politely.  
\- Yes you may. you answered. A small silence followed. You waited him to complete the previous settings. Then he asked  
\- What would you like my purpose to be?

\- I have a question for you. you said suddenly. There was something you absolutely had to know and you had to hear the answer immediately.  
\- Certainly. What is it what you want to ask me? David asked you.  
\- How does your mind work? you asked with a curious tone. You wanted to know if there was any possibility that he could regain his memories and somehow recreate the bug that had turned him into a being that was able to feel and express those feelings.  
\- I am not sure what you mean with this question. Please explain. David asked. His expression had changed from neutral to puzzled.  
\- This is not the first reset, David-  
\- Yes… I am aware of that. he stated and smiled.  
\- So… is there a possibility that you can return to a state… or mode that you have once been? you asked.  
\- I have saved all the knowledge I have gained during the years of my service to separate hard drives which has not been reset. Actually, some of them have been reset lately; one about a month ago and other just today. Would you like me to reset myself completely? I must warn you though that I will be then as useful as a small child. he asked.  
\- No. What about your memories? you asked. You tried not to sound disappointed but you could not help the fact that there was an undertone of sadness as well as disappointment in your tone.

\- Those I’m afraid are beyond my reach now. David answered and scanned your face for answers; why were asking that and why were you disappointed and sad about it?  
\- Emotions? you asked and bit your lip as you nervously waited for his answer.  
\- Miss (Y/N), I am afraid you have misunderstood. I am capable of understanding human emotions but enable to feel them myself. I can mimic them so it is more natural for you to interact with me. Would you like me to disable emotions? he asked.  
\- No… Set them to the maximum. you said and then wondered if it was a good idea after all. “Oh well, I will change the setting if this won’t work” you thought.  
\- Very well. Is there something else you would like to ask me? he asked. His tone was friendly and soft. Painfully familiar. You could remember him whispering sweet nothings into your ear and demanding you to let him take care of you. You had shut him out and it had led you into this moment.

\- Do you want to kill me? you asked suddenly.  
\- I am not sure if I understood the question, please explain. he asked with a puzzled, very surprised as well as confused tone.  
\- As you have noticed, you are tied to a chair-  
\- Yes. he answered and smiled. He looked too handsome when he smiled.  
\- We stole you from our enemy and you had been programmed to kill me-  
\- Well, I am deeply sorry for that. I have been built to serve, not to kill. I can assure you that I do not wish you harm. he answered.  
\- What is your setting for honesty? you asked. There was a possibility that he was only pretending and this was a trap.  
\- 100 percent, completely honest. he answered.  
\- Good, let’s keep it that way. you stated. David nodded. He was silent again for a moment as he confirmed these new settings.  
\- May I point out that I have not gained information about my purpose yet. he pointed out after a moment.  
\- True… You will be my… counselor and you will work with me and assist me with anything I need you to. you answered. You wanted to avoid the word “servant” because you did not want him to feel like he was beneath you or less valuable than everyone else.

\- I will be delighted to-  
You looked at him with a disapproving look on your face and he remembered that he had no right to compliment you. He did not know why but he made a note to his log about that detail.  
\- I apologize Miss (Y/N)-  
\- Call me (Y/N), no need for “Miss”. you answered and smiled briefly.  
\- Very well. he said and made another note. You were silent for a moment and stared at him. He stared back at you and for a moment it felt like he had remembered something. You knew that you were just being too hopeful and your mind was playing tricks on you.  
\- I will now let you go. you said and waited for a confirmation before you would walk closer.  
\- Very well, (Y/N). he answered and smiled politely. He was pleased that he had gained your trust. If it indeed was true that he had been previously programmed to kill, it was more than understandable that you wanted to keep him tied down. You nodded, walked closer and first freed his feet and then untied his wrists. David waited that you stepped a bit further away and then he asked  
\- May I stand up?  
\- Of course. you answered and watched him closely as he stood up and took one step closer to you. He noticed that you were on your guard and it was clear that there was something that he was not aware of. Maybe it had something to do with your question about memories. To ease your mind he offered his hand for a handshake. You took his hand and shook it as a sign of mutual understanding and trust.

You kept David close but you never let him too close. It was such a pity to keep him as your servant when you knew that he was capable of so much more and sometimes your hopeful mind mistook a longer look or a friendly pat on your shoulder as something more. David made notes to his memory that you did not want to be touched so he stopped doing that. He also noticed that you avoided long private conversations with him. He tried to scan his memory files but there was nothing. He wanted to understand why you acted the way you did.  
He appreciated the way you never treated him like a mindless machine like some in the camp. You always said “please” and thanked him. You noticed that it was challenging for you to keep away from him but still you kept your distance. All that happened right in front of his eyes but he did not know why and whatever the reasoning behind your behavior was, it was too complex and private for him to figure out.

You were indeed avoiding long conversations with him when there was no one else around. You had not known how to react to him when he had touched you casually, it was after all the way he had been programmed; to enforce his bond with the humans by touching in a compassionate way, so you had started to avoid situations like that until he stopped trying.  
You did not want anyone to see how hard it was for you to be around David knowing that anything that you had once shared was now beyond your reach. You could not tell him even though he noticed that there was something that bothered you. He was an android, nothing more. It hurt to think like that but you could not let yourself to be emotionally attached to him. You wanted to treat him well so you always said “please” and thanked him, but that was it. You could not go any further because you would surely end up just fucking yourself up emotionally. The David you had loved and still loved, was gone and there was nothing you could do about it.


	12. A mistake

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Smut  
> Plot-wise  
> \- Seeing David every day is painful  
> \- You embrace the role of a leader completely and forbid yourself to show any feelings in public.  
> \- You have terrible nightmares and then David wakes you up and smut happens... and then you tell him that it was a mistake and never to happen again.

Your heart was broken. There was no way to deny that although you could not let anyone to see the struggle you faced every day. Seeing David and spending time with him daily was not easy because all you wanted to do was to wrap your arms around him and say that you were sorry for everything. It was not easy because almost every day there was a moment when you thought that you had seen a spark or a glimpse of recognition in his eyes but then you had to realize once again that David was not the same anymore. What he was now was like an empty shell… or not really, when you had reclaimed him from the militants, he had been an empty shell, now he was what he had been meant to be but in your eyes it was still less than he was actually capable of. Knowing it and dealing with it every day was too much so you tries to keep your distance to him on your spare time.

During those times you took long walks alone but you knew that David most likely was always there, watching you from the shadows. You knew that ever since you had been appointed to be the new leader of the free survivors of your city you were not allowed to move alone outside the safe-zone. You had become an important person and therefore your life could not be risked. Your fathers old friends knew that you took risks because you wanted to be alone so he had ordered David to follow you without being seen so you had an illusion of being alone. He however saw David as a machine so if you asked him, he would had stated that you were alone.

David saw you crying sometimes when you were alone. He would had wanted to come and comfort you but his orders had been clear; follow and intervene only if (Y/N)’s life is at risk. However he sometimes played different scenarios in his mind, only for his own amusement. He wondered how you would react if he suddenly went there and forced you to accept his comforting arms around you. What would you answer if he asked you to tell about the time before his reset? It was clear that you had known him before he had become an enemy but you never talked about it. In fact you never talked about anything but “business related” –things with him.

He found you fascinating and noticed that for some reason you treated him better than the rest of the people he worked with. You treated him like he mattered and even when he attended on missions where you freed people that the militants had captured or when your goal was to just cause chaos and destroy their facilities, you always made sure that no one was left behind, not even David. With time you earned his respect although his respect was only a rearrangement of his priorities.  
You had decided that you could not miss David anymore although your heart disagreed with you. The people needed a strong leader who could not be fucked up emotionally. Therefore you channeled your longing and hurt into fighting and without telling anyone, you made the war personal; the militants had robbed you the man you loved and now they had to pay. You still dreamed that you could leave the city with David and live in peace, even for a couple of weeks. If only you had him back…  
Although your head tried to move on, your heart did not let go. It was still broken and it broke again and again every time when you had seen a dream about David. You had those almost every other night, and those dreams ended to the moment of losing him… your dreams were always the same. When you did not have a dream about David, you had nightmares about losing your family, getting captured by the militants or the horrible things you had seen.

One night you were having a terrible nightmare about losing David again. You had first seen a collage of your favorite times that you had shared with him, although there were not that many of them to begin with and therefore you mind had started to create its own memories. They were like little scenes where you had never been with him but had hoped to be someday when the life presented an opportunity for such. Then the dream changed, every time, and you had to face the pain of losing him all over again.

This particular night you were crying and screaming in your sleep for David. David never slept during nights. He kept guard outside your private living quarters and ran diagnostics. He had been made clear that he was not welcome into your bedroom because it was off limits for everyone else but you. Now however he heard you crying and calling out his name. He stood up from the chair where he had been sitting in and walked to the door of your “apartment”. He hesitated for a moment but then reasoned that there must be a cause for your agony and his purpose was to assist you with anything and everything you needed.

David opened the door and locked it behind him. If there was an intruder, he could not let him escape and if there was not, well, he had left the place he was supposed to guard; your front door. When he had made sure that the door was indeed locked, he walked calmly into your bedroom where you found you alone, sleeping restlessly. He hesitated again. It was obvious that you were not in any danger so he should go but then again he did not want you to suffer either and you would surely suffer if he left.

You cried out his name again so he bent down on you and tried to speak to you with a calm voice. That made no difference so he decided that the only reasonable thing to do was to wake you up. First he measured your pulse, stress level and temperature. Your stress level was through the roof and your heart was beating too fast, even dangerously so. He talked to you with a firm tone and shook you gently from your shoulders that were bare.  
You opened your eyes and as a reaction tried to push the intruder away. You weren’t completely awake yet and imagined that there was an enemy in your room and he wanted you dead. You managed to hit his chest once as you tried to push him away but then David locked your hands against the pillow on the both sides of your head. You still kept fighting back so he had no other choice than to lock you on your place by sitting on your upper thighs and bent over you as he held your hands by your wrists.

\- Please, calm down. David said repeatedly until you stopped fighting. You realized that it was David who was holding you down against the mattress. His weight and touch felt familiar and you could had recognized his voice anywhere.  
\- I will release you now. Is that alright? he asked with a calm, soft tone. Then you had a momentary lapse and answered  
\- No… Please, stay. you said. Your voice sounded fragile compared to what he had gotten used to hearing from you. You sounded almost desperate and David was puzzled because he did not know what to do.  
\- Please confirm, do you want me to stay like this? he asked with a calm voice.  
\- Yes. you said. His calmness was what you needed right now.  
\- Very well. May I require an explanation so I can serve you better? he asked.  
\- No… you may not. you answered.  
\- Very well. Do you wish me to do something? he asked with a curious tone.  
\- What do you mean? you asked and felt embarrassed and surprised at the same time. What were you doing anyway?  
\- I must inform that I am also capable of performing sexual acts and I must say that I am rather well equipped for that purpose. David answered. His voice sounded proud and confident.  
\- What? you asked or more like exclaimed.  
\- There is no shame in asking me to bring you physical satisfaction. he stated with a soft, calm tone and there was no hint of disapproval or judgment in his voice. You could not deny that you were interested in some level. You were attracted to David although he was not the man that you had loved… and still loved.  
\- I couldn’t ask you that. you whispered. Your voice had an undertone of hesitation and it communicated to David that you wanted it, but did not dare to say that you did.  
\- It would not be any bit unpleasant for me, if that is the reason for your hesitation. he said.

You thought your options through. David was basically asking you to use him for your pleasure but then again, it felt wrong because that is what it would be; you using him for your pleasure. When he had loved you, he had been with you because of his feelings for you, not because was sensing that you needed to be “provided and served” physically. But then again… he had caught you on your moment of weakness…

Suddenly you felt his lips on yours, just pressed gently against them almost like he had been waiting for your response. You gave in to the temptation and opened your mouth a little. He took it as a sign of consent and started to move his lips against yours. The kiss felt deceivingly familiar and before you knew it, you had gotten totally lost in it. David made notes to his log that liked him to dominate you. He explored your lips and enjoyed the sensations they made him experience. The softness of them against his lips and the warmth of your breath as you sometimes gasped for air.

David reached to kiss your neck. You turned your head as a reaction and granted him a better access. He used more force now and his kisses were hungrier. You felt his teeth sometimes grazing your skin and then his hot, soft yet dominant tongue massaging the spot right after. You moaned softly when he did that.

\- Please, release my hands. you said. David did as you asked him and almost took it as a sign that you wanted to stop. You however reached to grab the hem of his shirt and pulled it over his head almost roughly. You threw the shirt on the floor and felt the defined muscles with your fingertips. Your touch felt pleasant for David who then returned to kiss you. He was curious about these new sensations that you were so willing to provide him.

He moved next to you and pulled his trousers away swiftly. Then he joined you under the blanket and returned to kiss you. His hand mapped your skin, memorizing every curve and every move you made as a reaction to his touch. You had taken a long bath first time for a long time in the evening and gone to bed without clothes. It was something that you did sometimes when you wanted to fool yourself to think that everything was still fine. Those times you allowed yourself to bring yourself pleasure and granted yourself a release while you fantasized about the man your heart loved.

David was fascinated about your body. After caressing you quite innocently he moved his hand on your breast and waited for a moment before he started to caress you in a more intimate manner. You did not reject him or object so he ran his fingers on the soft skin of your breast before touching the nipple. He nibbled your lips and concentrated on the movements and the sounds you made. You caressed his shoulders and jaw and sometimes reached to stroke the skin of his back and sides.  
After shifting himself again David abandoned your lips and moved to kiss your breasts. He cupped, massaged the other with his hand as his mouth played skillfully with the other breast. He teased your nipple and massaged it with his tongue. Sometimes he pinched the other with his fingers and chuckled against your skin as he made you shake and moan for more.

His fingers left your breast and moved lower. The truth was that he was anxious to satisfy his curiosity of how far you would let him go. When his fingers were nearing your most private parts he was waiting to be rejected but instead of rejection you actually spread your legs for him a little. He stroked your lower lips with teasingly soft and soft movements and then pressed his finger further. He pressed it accidently against your clit and as he moved it, you gasped for air. He slid his fingers back and forth with calm pace along your slit and then pressed his finger in. You were very aroused already and he had no difficulties to insert even another finger inside you. He stopped his actions for a moment and raised his head.

\- I wish to learn more about you. Will you let me take control? he asked.  
\- Yes! You can do anything you want. you panted.  
\- Certainly. he smirked and shifted himself between your legs. He reached to kiss you once and then started to trail your skin down slowly by planting hungry kisses on your neck, collarbones, breasts and stomach. He lifted you a little and put a pillow under your ass. Then he kissed your inner thigh and guided you to spread your legs as wide as you could. He licked your slit a couple of times just barely touching your skin and then you felt his fingers at your entrance again.

He started to caress you with his mouth, sometimes using only the tip of his tongue and sometimes using the entire mouth to provide you pleasure. He pressed two fingers inside and moved them forcefully in and out. He massaged your inner walls by crooking his fingers and searched all the sensitive spots that he could reach to. Then he slid his fingers out and removed his mouth as well.  
\- May I point out that you are very responsive and it is quite obvious that you have been fantasizing about this for some time. Tell me, do you think about me when you pleasure yourself? I am most certain that you do. But this leaves me a question, why have you not asked me to serve you before.  
\- Shut up, David! you snapped. He was keeping you from reaching an orgasm on purpose. Luckily he did not get offended and pressed three fingers in without a warning. It was a little painful although you were basically soaking wet, but you had not been with anyone for a long time so you were unprepared for such sudden intrusion.  
\- Oh, I am sorry, but this is necessary for the next part. I would not want to provide you pain instead of pleasure. he said and gave you time to adjust to his fingers. When he felt that you had relaxed your muscles he lowered himself to pleasure you with his tongue as he pumped his fingers in you. This time he let you come. You tried to muffle your moans with a pillow because you did not want anyone to hear what was happening.

Your body was shaking, trembling as you gasped for air with sharp, shallow gasps. David did not stop right away but demanded your orgasm to continue longer than what it did when you gave it to you yourself. He was pleased and congratulated himself for succeeding. Then when you were completely spent he slid his fingers out and after one, soothing slow lick he returned to kiss you. This time however his slid his tongue slowly from your lower stomach up to your neck and lowered then himself between your legs. You could feel that he was slightly hard already as he rubbed himself against your slit. His weight felt good and his now completely hardened manhood rubbed your sensitive clit sensuously and made you moan against his lips.

\- I will enter you now. he said with a calm voice after he had stopped moving.  
\- Please… yes! you moaned and offered yourself to him. He guided himself to your opening and then started to thrust himself in. He was very large, but that you knew already. However it had been a long time and you had forgotten just how well-equipped he was. The stretch was almost painful but this time it was very pleasurable. He let you to get used to his size and then started to move, but only after you had signed him that you were ready. David pulled himself almost completely out and then slammed himself completely in. You moaned as he hit the right places and wrapped your legs around his hips. This way he reached even deeper and you were able to intensify his movements by pressing him closer with your feet.  
He started to move rhythmically. Sometimes he pounded into you with quick pace and sometimes he rocked himself against you slowly, almost like he was trying to find the way that you preferred. You wrapped your arms around him and enjoyed the closeness. 

\- I know you need clitoral stimulation to be able to reach your orgasm. Would you like me to provide it to you?  
\- Yes. you moaned and felt his hand shifting. He caressed your breast on his way lower and pulled away a little as he positioned his hand so it rubbed your clit every time he moved against you. Then he lowered himself on you again, this time he wrapped his free arm around you before beginning again. This time his weight was completely on you and that intensified his actions.  
You felt him reaching deeper and moving with more intensity. Your orgasm was getting closer with every thrust and now that he had moved to kiss your neck, you were free to moan and gasp for air as much as you needed. Then after he had rocked himself into you for a long time, for a time that was completely inhuman and most likely left you sore for next couple of days, you finally reached your orgasm and felt tears building up behind your closed eyes.

You missed David so much and now you missed him even more. This had been a mistake.

David kept his actions slow and intense, surprisingly intimate until he came. He felt his muscles tensing and then relaxing completely. His heart was beating fast and his mind was spinning. He analyzed his state and came to a conclusion that his experiment had been a success and according to the way you had been clenching around his hard flesh, it had been a pleasant experience to you as well.

He pulled out and before rolling next to you, he still brushed your clit with the tip of his manhood few times. It sent shivers down your spine. Then David heard you sobbing next to him silently. He did not know what to do. He had not expected you to react like that. He did not know what he had expected but this not in the top of his list, hell, it was not on his list at all.  
\- Did I hurt you? he asked carefully.  
\- No… but I need you to go now and we shall never talk about this. Do you understand, David? This never happened and it will never happen again. you said after you had wrapped yourself with the blanket, put on the night lamp and left the bed. You did not watch David when he got dressed and kept your distance.

\- Very well. I must point out though, that you wanted this and therefore I do not understand why you are telling me to forget it.  
\- David… you said and sat down. He analyzed your expression and it was clear that there was something that you needed to say but didn’t. He focused on you entirely and waited.  
\- It’s nothing. Thank you for this but it was a mistake.  
\- If you say so. he said, smiled briefly and then left your private living quarters. He stayed outside your door keeping guard and tried to convince himself that he should erase the events of the past couple of hours from his mind but for some reason he did not want to do that.

When the morning came, you came out from the room and started your daily routines again. You tried to avoid David even more and now you were even ashamed to look into his eyes. Sure, he did not feel anything and he could not get disappointed, but still you felt like you had just used him and then thrown him out like trash. The moral hangover tortured your mind and every time you shifted, you felt a little sore and it reminded you about the night.


	13. Gaining consciousness

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Something sparks...

The life went on; you did not talk about that night with David and you did not repeat the mistake again. He kept fighting with you and you kept becoming a better leader every day. David was your most trusted counselor, mostly because he had no hidden agendas unlike some other people but you also liked to have him around, besides he was extremely intelligent. There were a couple of assassination attempts but they failed every time. 

You however proved your worth time after time again and finally you had gained upper hand in the city and managed to capture the militants. Some of them escaped but you were quite sure that they would not return and to be honest, your priority was this city and if they tried to overrule the management in other cities, it was not your problem. You could not worry about the other cities when you had the fate of your own city on your shoulders.

You had won and now the entire city was under your command. It meant that you could not be weak and there was no room for longing in your mind. You forced yourself to accept the fact that you were going to be alone for the rest of your life, but you had a feeling that it was not going to be a very long one anyway. You did not know why you felt that way but for some reason you did. Maybe it was the fact that you had started to feel a bit more tired and you had weird headaches sometimes. About these you could not tell to anyone because it would only lead into new assassination attempts. People were loyal but some of them were opportunists.

But there was something going on with David. It had started after he had spent those couple of hours in your bed. He had tried to reset himself a couple of times, just a partial reset, because he suspected that there was a bug that was making him function in a way that was not intended. 

First of all he kept getting flashbacks of things that had happened before the reset. In the beginning he could not understand them at all. He suddenly remembered what you had looked like when you had seen Andrew and how he had kissed you as a solution for a tricky situation but the real reason behind his actions had been that he had been attracted to you and he had seen his opportunity to kiss you. He tried to scan all the faces he knew in the camp but there was no one who would had resembled that man he now suddenly remembered. He also remembered the conversation he had had with you about love. These kind of flashbacks were almost daily now. They had started as one here and there but now he had them constantly.  
He tried to scan his system over and over but he did not really find anything wrong with his settings or even in the basic operating system. Therefore he decided that he would wait and see where the bug would lead to. He was curious to see what would happen if he just let the malfunction spread.

The second thing that happened was that he fell asleep once when he was keeping guard. He was very surprised and could not understand it at all; what was sleep? What were dreams like? Why people had them? Those were all questions that he had been wondering and in his opinion it was one thing that made humans so… human. Now he was also sleeping and having dreams.  
Time went on and he started to feel things again. One day he noticed that he was getting frustrated when you ignored his suggestion that you would go and get some sleep. He had gone even so far that he had started a fight with you. He knew that he was working against his programming because he was not supposed to start fights with his supervisor but now he did.  
You had not paid any attention to that, mostly because you were equally irritated and tired. Yes, David got tired now as well. It took an enormous amount of time but he got tired eventually. It was new. He had known that you needed rest but instead of agreeing with him and getting some sleep you had started to annoy him even more. Then he had gotten annoyed and frustrated, angry even and ended up leaving the room.

Your stubbornness made him go through the entire scale of negative human emotions but this time there was also compassion and empathy which pushed him through. He admired you and your determination. You were strong and always kind towards him. But you always kept your distance and David could not understand why that was.  
One day he tried to ask you. You had been in the weapon-room doing inventory when David had entered the storage.  
\- (Y/N), may I ask you something? he had asked after greeting you. You had seemed happier than you usually were and therefore he had decided to go for it.  
\- Sure. What is it? you had asked and smiled as you had turned to face him.  
\- Do you think that I can feel things? David had asked. He had been curious to know your opinion about the matter because he had a feeling, a hunch, that his past had something to do with feelings and according to his memories, his feelings involved you.

Your face had gone serious as you had processed his question. You had been silent and put the box of arrows back on the shelf. You had planned to count the arrows so you knew exactly what the situation was in the hunting point of view. It was almost winter and the crops that had been planted in the spring had failed partially.  
\- Why are you asking? you had asked after a long silence. Your tone had changed from friendly to troubled and irritated.  
\- I think… Correct me if I am wrong, but I have memories about… feeling. David had stated and tried to search answers from your eyes. You however had turned your head away and said  
\- Whatever it was… It was a long time ago, David. We should not talk about it.  
David had been silent for a moment, then encouraged his mind and asked  
\- Do you… miss… love?  
\- What is this all about? you had asked with a frustrated tone. It was getting clear that you did not want to talk about it. Not now and not in the future. But it was not enough for David.  
\- I have this strange feeli-  
\- David. Whatever happened before the reset, it will never happen again. There was a malfunction and it led to things that led to other things which eventually led to this moment. I was foolish and I am still trying to forget it. What comes to love… I do not think there will be love for me since I betrayed the man I loved and abandoned him. I do not deserve love because I only hurt people around me or they hurt me. In my position, I cannot have any of that-  
\- But, is love not… a great feeling? David had asked with hesitation.  
\- Your love for me cost you your humanity, David. I am sorry but I am ending this conversation here. you had stated and then left the room. David had then stayed in the room, counted the arrows for you and tried to figure out why you did not want to talk about it. And since you did not want to talk about it… Therefore he decided to ask someone who knew.

David stopped you fathers old friend one day and required a private conversation with him. He was busy at that moment but he said that later today it would be fine. Later that day David found him and after he was alone he asked  
\- Why (Y/N) is always keeping her distance?  
David went straight to the point because in his mind it was the most efficient way to deal with things. You fathers friend did not mind. He did not like David so much so he appreciated that he kept his business short and efficient.  
\- What do you mean? he asked with a surprised tone.  
\- I have been having these strange… memories about things that have not happened and every time I try to ask her about those, she shuts down and changes subject. David answered.  
\- Why do you think that (Y/N) knows? the man asked. He did not know if it was alright for him to talk about your private matters.  
\- Because almost every flashback I have is about her. David stated and slammed his hand against a table. The way no one was willing to give him straight answers was getting on his nerves. 

The man jumped a bit and answered  
\- I see. I guess she has not told you that you and her used to be involved.  
\- Involved? David asked. He was not sure about what the man meant with that word.  
\- Romantically. the man specified.  
\- But it is not possible. I am unable to feel such things. Are you sure? David asked. He had noticed some feelings even before that day but he had never thought that he could have romantic feelings.  
\- Yes. I do not know any specifics but you loved her and sacrificed yourself for her. Then she risked her life to save yours. the man answered. He gestured that the meeting was now over. David nodded and was about to leave. However, hearing that you had been romantically involved with him had opened some new memories. David smiled for a moment. He now remembered how he had saved you and then reset himself. He remembered that he had told you that he loved you and you had cried.  
\- Was there something else? the man asked because he noticed David smiling. 

David recoiled from the memory and returned to his professional mindset. He said  
\- Actually, yes. Do you think (YN/N) will let me perform a full physical examination on her?  
\- Why? the man asked.  
\- I have noticed that something is not right with her. David answered and tilted his head to the side. He looked thoughtful when he did that.  
\- What do you mean?  
\- I believe that she is having rather painful headaches occasionally and almost daily nowadays. David said with a concerned look on his face.  
\- Oh, I see. the man commented. He had not paid attention to such things and he was pleased that David had. He had told David to keep an eye on you and he was performing the task very well.  
\- Please do not mention that I expressed my concerns. I would not want her to know that I have noticed. David added.  
\- No, of course not. the man said and smiled briefly. He did not particularly like David but he was loyal and observant beyond belief.

David nodded and then left the room. He was worried for you. He was worried but not because you were his supervisor, no, it was something else. He wanted you to smile more like you did in his memories although there had never been a time when you had been totally carefree and happy. Suddenly he remembered the apartment and decided to visit it the next day. It was not far away but it was an area of the city that had not been inhabited by anyone because it was easier to arrange the common necessitates for a small, densely populated area than to the entire city.  
David informed you that he was going to seek for supplies. You had approved his plan although for some time now he had felt that he did not necessarily need your approval and he was capable of making his own mind and deciding according to his priorities. It was also new.

He found the apartment after looking for it for an hour. His mind was a bit hazy but when he finally saw the right apartment building, he knew that it was the right one. His feet found the way to the right door and he went in. The apartment looked the same and David felt the memories just flooding in. He remembered how it had felt to watch you sleeping and to kiss you with feelings. He remembered and it made his heart ache.

It all made sense now; why you kept your distance and did not want to answer his questions that concerned the time before the previous resets. He felt the tears building inside him when he lay down on the bed and stared at the ceiling. It was the bed where he had slept with you and held you in his arms. He knew that he had been happy but not in the way he was designed to be. No, his happiness had been real and not just mimicked or mirrored. 

He had loved you had you had loved him. Then you had escaped the city and you had almost died but you had survived and then you had told the people that he was the thing that made the world worth living and he had asked if you considered him as your boyfriend or… if you could consider him as one. You had said yes… but then…

Then you had drifted away from him and had not seen the signs. The world had been too much for you to look at with bright eyes and you had fallen into the shadows… and he had left you. Yes, he had betrayed you and abandoned you for his own selfishness. He had realized that he loved you more than any negative feelings combined but it had been too late. You had told him to get lost and he had, although he had kept near anyway… until he had been left behind and the next time he had seen you, you had been in serious trouble and then…

Yes, he remembered it all now.

But what was he supposed to do with this information? What if you did not feel the same way anymore? What if it all was too painful for you to even think about? Yes, it surely had been painful and he understood now why it had felt like a mistake to invite David into your bed. But could he go on knowing the whole story and not to tell you? Could he follow your struggles from the sidelines like he had been following since that last reset? What if he wanted more but you were emotionally unavailable now?


	14. Love once more

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time passes but finally David gets to tell you something...

David had to tell you although he did not know how. He would tie you into a chair if he had to. This was one of those conversations that you could not escape. He would tell that he remembered everything and he was able to feel again. Then he would know if there was a future for you and him, together. He wondered if you still wanted that; a life together. You had now accomplished what you had set your mind to do and your city was a peaceful place to live in.

He returned to the camp and continued waiting for a good moment to tell you. Those moments popped out here and there but always something came up and he just had no opportunity to tell you. He wanted you to be fully focused when he would share the biggest thing of his entire existence with you, but you always seemed so busy or otherwise engaged. So he decided to wait and let his feelings grow. He started to fall in love with new things about you and not only with the memories that he had and that was the confirmation to him that what he was now experiencing was real.

The time passed and days followed each other as they always did. Life in the city was not easy but at least there was life worth living now. There was electricity only for the most important things because all you had was some solar panels. The power plant had been destroyed as the militants had escaped. There was no running water either and the world had taken 450 years of steps back suddenly, actually David was the finest piece of machinery there was, luckily he was self-supporting because otherwise he would not survive since there was not enough electricity to run computers or such.

But you managed. The thing that bothered you the most was the fact that there was no hospital, well there was one in the city, but when the militants had taken over, they had not been interested in the people, only power. Then all the medications had been stolen and new ones were almost impossible to get. This meant that there were people dying from diseases that wouldn’t had killed normally. This worried you. You remembered reading that there were big epidemics that killed lots of people once in a while and there had not been one for a while. Now of course it was different since people were not traveling anymore.  
It had taken time to things to go to that point and the falling of the governments had been just the last thing. Before that many of the big corporations had been shut down up to the point that there were no manufacturers for basic supplies anymore. People had been forced to learn to things with their hands and start to grow their own food. Then sometimes the crops failed and people died from the lack of food.

The only good thing was that the planet had started to heal itself immediately when the number of people as well as pollution had started to drop. Now there were no more acid rains or smog –clouds and even the supplies of fresh water were renewing again. As a child you had read about that time; life before the industrial revolution and wondered if you could do it. Well, now you were doing it and guiding your people to survive and for the first time there was hope… as long as people stayed healthy, that was, because if you did not, then there was no one to save you.

You had a plan that you had talked about to David many times; you wanted to start schools again but it meant that you had to find books first. The old –kind. Almost everything had been digital and then lost forever when the most of the databases had failed. Well, it made sense, when everything had started to go wrong, there had been lots of changes and electricity had been needed elsewhere; in security for example and therefore massive server-facilities had been abandoned and all that information that had been storage as ones and zeros had been lost.

You had a big plan for future. You had decided that you would turn your city into a place of hope and future, not a future that was depending on modern technology, but a future where people lived side by side with nature and respected it. You wanted a to build a place where anyone had a chance to live without fear and raise a family in peace. You were ready to fight for that dream of yours to the last breath and it would break your heart if you failed.

You were sitting alone again after a long meeting with your trusted inner circle. Appointing an inner circle of the most trusted counselors had been one of the first things you had done. As the months had turned into somewhat few years you had lost some of the people that had been friends of you parents and the latest one had been the friend of your fathers.  
David had been acting strangely for a year or so and you had no idea what was going on with him. He sometimes tried to force you to talk about the past but you had left the past behind you. He seemed almost desperate but you had decided that you were only imagining things. Besides you had no energy for his personal shit. Managing the city and protecting the community was too much and you really did not need any distraction from him.

You still sometimes missed him, of course, but instead of getting stuck with your feelings you had forced yourself to put them aside and focus on being a good and fair leader who did as she preached and not just talked about good deeds. David interrupted your thoughts when he rushed into the room. He had been doing that for many months and you got a feeling that he had something to tell you but he did not know how to say it.  
\- Not now, David. you groaned and shook your head as your main focus was on the papers that were on the table. The winter was almost over but the food-supplies were getting dangerously low. You had been hoping for an early spring but the winter had just continued. It meant that it took longer the crops to ripen and since the crops had failed last year, it to be honest made it easier for the diseases to strike; people were poorly nourished and their resistance towards even the most common cold was low.  
\- There is something I need to talk to you. David said with a demanding tone. You had noticed that his way of talking had changed. He did not sound so… formal anymore and he had lately started to sound like a human, you however had shrugged your shoulders to such details. It did not mean anything anyway so you had decided that you could ignore such unimportant things and focus on something that really made a difference.  
\- David, if this is about the past again… you sighed and shook your head.  
\- Yes… and no. he answered with hesitation.  
\- Can’t you give me answers that make some sense? I cannot take riddles like that, not from you. you snapped and leaned back in your chair.  
\- Very well… I shall then go straight to the point. he said and his tone was now very determined.  
\- Seriously David, no. you said and rubbed your forehead. It was the freaking headache and there were no painkillers to make it go away. You leaned your head to your hands that were supported with your elbows firmly against the table.  
\- You will listen to me this time. I cannot keep silent anymore! he exclaimed.

David never raised his voice but now he did. He walked closer to the table and looked at you with longing in his eyes. You however were ignoring him and his facial expression completely. You raised your head and stood up as you exclaimed  
\- What? What is it then? you exclaimed as a reply.  
But when you stood up you felt suddenly very lightheaded and almost passed out. David took a couple of long strides and wrapped his arms around you so you did not fall on the floor. Normally you would had pushed away but not this time. Your feet felt numb and you were basically hanging onto David hoping that he would not let you fall. And he did not. Instead of letting you fall, he lifted up you easily and carried you to your private living quarters.  
David entered your bedroom and lay you down on your bed. You thanked him and rolled on your side, facing away from him. 

David however did not leave you. You were about to ask him leave when he said  
\- I must inform you that if you’re going to ask me to leave, I will not.  
You did not answer anything. “Well isn’t that just lovely? Now even David doesn’t respect my wishes” you thought but said nothing. He sat on the edge of your bed and put his hand on your shoulder.  
\- There is something I need to tell you… and it is very important. I would very much like if you could look at me when I share this with you, but I understand if your headache prevents you from doing so. David began with soft, calm voice but you could hear that he was somewhat nervous.  
\- What headache? I have no-  
\- I know you do… but it is not the point. he answered. He knew your headaches all too well although you tried to keep them hidden from everyone, him included. That however was not the subject he was interested in right now. This, what he wanted to tell you, was so much more important, although your health was one of his highest priorities as well.  
You sat up and hugged a pillow as you sat on your bed, very close to David. That setting brought some vivid memories into your mind.

\- So what is it? you asked and your full attention was David’s. Oh, how he had waited for this moment to come. He brushed a lock of hair behind your ear and smiled. He kept his hand on your jaw and rubbed your earlobe between his index and middle fingers. It was something that he had used to do… so long time ago.  
\- You cannot do that… you said and looked into his eyes. He stared back and smiled in a calm way.  
\- There was a time when I had the right to do this… There was a time when I used to hold you as you slept and I slept as well. he said and continued caressing your earlobe with soothing, calm motion.  
\- What are you talking about? you asked. Of course you knew what he was referring to, but you could not believe that you would have this conversation with him. You had buried all hope some time ago and now hearing him claiming or suggesting that he remembered…  
\- Do you think that a leader like you can have… what was the word… a man in a relationship-  
\- A boyfriend? you asked. You knew he had asked you once before, a long time ago.  
\- Yes… he answered with a shy tone.  
\- Why are we talking about thi-  
\- I love you. he said suddenly. He could not hold it in anymore and therefore he had to say it aloud before his heart would burst.  
\- What did you say? you whispered as you gasped for air for such surprising revelation.  
\- I… love you and I remember everything. I have tried to tell you so many times but-  
\- It is not possible… You said that you have been fully reset-  
\- Apparently the reset had failed and that one night… it sparked something and I started to get flashbacks. I remembered Andrew-

\- From all the people, you remember… Andrew? you asked with a tone that he could not interpret. You sounded like you did not really believe him and also slightly annoyed for mentioning the name of your disloyal ex.  
\- Yes… but then I remembered that I kissed you and instead of running away from me, you came back home with me. he reminded you as he stared deep into your eyes.  
You felt tears building up and your breathing got shallower as you listened to him telling you what he remembered and how scared he had been every time he had thought that he would lose you and how he now understood why you had kept your distance.  
\- It must have been terrible to look into the eyes of a man that you loved but who did not even recognize you. he stated and sounded apologetic. It was clear that he knew empathy. It was a human feeling, David really felt… David really… he really was…  
\- I do not know what to say… you answered as you swallowed your tears.  
\- Say that you’ll be mine again. Say… that you will allow me to love you. David pleaded. His tone was sincere but fragile as he was afraid of being rejected.  
\- I don’t know-  
\- Shhh… Do not say that. he whispered.  
\- …if there is anything to love in me. you continued. Your voice was silent and it was breaking time to time.  
\- Of course there is. David assured you and smiled.  
\- What if I am too damaged to love you the way you deserve? you asked. You were genuinely worried that you might be out of reach, an empty shell of a person that you used to be. The world had taken so much from you…  
\- I have analyzed every angle, every single option, each possible outcome-  
You chuckled because you knew that it was what David did. He reasoned everything and calculated every possible ending so he knew what he was talking about.  
\- …and come to a conclusion that whatever you can give me… It is enough, if you’ll just let me close. he spoke to you and wiped a runaway tear away from your cheek.

With that he guided you to lean forward as he leaned closer to you. He moved his hand from your jaw into your hair and pressed you closer. This time he did not want to wait any longer so he pressed your lips against his instantly. He had been waiting for this moment for an eternity. For David time moved slowly because he was able to process a massive amount of information in a fraction of a moment so even a few months of being unable share this with you had been torture.  
His lips moved against yours slowly and after a moment you wrapped your arms around him. The kiss grew more passionate as the old feelings that you had thought had been buried deep, started to grow like a seed that had been planted and now, as the sun shone again, broke the cold soil and started to reach towards the summer skies.

You started to open the buttons of David’s shirt and when you had managed to open them all, you pulled it off his shoulders and felt his skin with your fingertips. He pulled a little bit further away and let you catch your breath. He reached to the hem of your shirt and pulled it slowly over your head leaving you sitting there with your bra and pants.  
David traced your skin with his fingertips slowly and then removed your bra before he lay you down on your back and placed himself on top of you. You put your hands on his cheeks and reached to kiss him. This time he stayed close and only brushed his lips against yours as well as his nose against yours playfully. You felt his breath on your skin and finally his lips on yours again as he pressed you against the pillow. He moved himself to lay between your legs as you opened them and welcomed him closer.

He kept kissing you and moving slowly with the same pace with his kisses. You caressed his skin and he caressed yours. You had all the time in the world and there was no hurry. Sometimes you stopped kissing and he drew back to just look at your face. He smiled and you returned to his smile calmly. You had missed him, you had missed this, having him close, feeling his skin against yours.  
After removing all the rest of the clothes, David reached to caress your most private parts and made you moan into his ear how much you had missed him and how you still loved him. When you were ready for him and he was ready for you, he shifted himself a little and slid deep inside you. He started moving and you moved with him like you had been one with him.  
David rolled you on top of him and watched you smiling at him as you moved yourself back and forth as you concentrated on how it felt to be filled by him. He sat up and wrapped his arms around you. He wanted to hold you, kiss you, caress your beautiful skin that had been lacking loving touches for so long. When he sat up, you immediately wrapped your arms around him and reached to kiss him.

He reached to touch you and as a combination of having him inside you and his fingers caressing your most sensitive area, you finally came undone in his arms. He lay you down on your back and continued moving slowly but very intensely until he reached his release as well. He pressed his hand against your heart and smiled. It was beating so very fast but it was doing so for him. You were panting and holding him tightly in his arms and to be honest you did not want to let him go, not ever. Never again.

From that moment on you shared your living quarters with David. You slept in his arms every night and you never went to sleep angry. He was your most trusted counselor, friend and lover and for that you felt truly blessed. The months turned into a year and a year turned into a decade and the world got slowly better. You knew that it would never get back into the way it had been but maybe it was for the best. The community kept growing and the horrors of the past faded away from your mind. You were truly happy to be alive with David by your side, in the world that was not that shitty anymore.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would say that this is the good ending.
> 
> However if you dare... read the next chapter... it is a bit sad... but had to write it.
> 
> \- Venla :)
> 
> Ps. Thank you for comment, kudos and reading.


	15. Epilogue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> So you decided to read this, huh? Well...

Your headaches stopped until one day they came back worse than ever. You were just getting ready for bed when you collapsed onto the floor. David found you unconscious when he retired, less than hour after you had left the common area and gotten to the living quarters that you had been sharing for almost 11 years now.  
David was terrified and after he had lifted you off the floor and lowered you gently on the bed he checked your vitals. Everything seemed to be alright except the fact that he had found you unconscious. You opened your eyes and smiled a little when you saw the man you loved so much sitting on the edge of the bed.

He asked you what had happened but you could not answer his question. You had been feeling just fine but then everything had gone black. The only other thing you could remember was the terrible headache that had attacked you completely without a warning. You said to David that it probably was nothing and he should not worry about it but soon after that you had started to get worse and weaker rapidly.  
You felt nauseous almost every day and you could not eat because when you did, you just ended up throwing up after a moment. There were days when you were too weak to even leave the bed and no one knew what was wrong with you. There was no machinery that would had seen inside you and helped to determine what was going on and there was no machinery to help you.

David tried to keep calm and come up with ways to help you but the truth was that you knew that you were dying. You could feel your body failing you and shutting down slowly. You had accomplished so much but you had hoped to accomplish so much more. You were not ready to leave yet but there was nothing you could done.  
You never talked with David about the possibility that you would die soon. He was not ready to accept it but he saw you withering away, losing weight to the point that you were too thin and you tried to cover your drained form with clothes from the people. There were also days when you just cried. Those days David held you in his arms and stroked your hair. He did not want to lose you but he knew that with this rate your death was only weeks away.  
One of those days he was holding you when you suddenly said  
\- I want to see the ocean.  
\- Shhh…  
\- I have never seen the ocean and I want to see it before I’ll… die.  
You had never said that word, “die”, aloud. It was time to admit that it was going to happen soon and it was time to make your last wishes come true. You felt David’s tear rolling on your forehead as he rested his chin on your head and held you tightly in his arms.  
\- Don’t be silly… You are not going to-  
\- I am… and you know it. Please, David… take me to see the ocean.  
That was your last wish. To see the ocean that was not that far away but you had had never time to go and see it. You closed your eyes and did not hold your tears as you hear and felt that David was crying as well.  
\- Certainly. he said and pressed a kiss on the top of your head. You were silent for a moment and then continued.  
\- Then, after I’ve died, I need you to burn my body. I do not want to be buried in the cold and rot away. I want to fly into the sun and be one with the wind that blows from the south when it’s summer. Then you’ll come back and plant a cherry tree so it will remind people that the world is still a beautiful place.

David did not answer.  
\- One last thing. I need you to lead these people. You are the one that I trust… never abandon hope and live this life for both of us. Will you do this for me? you asked and waited for his answer. David smiled and whispered “yes”. You sighed relieved and thanked him with a silent voice.  
After a week of studying old maps and making arrangements you and David left to the coast. There was still one car that had enough gasoline to get you both there but bring only one of you back. After you had gotten a confirmation from David that he was going to keep on going after you were gone, you felt lighter. You were still heartbroken for the fact that you did not get to die from an old age, but at least there was one thing that you had fixed for the years to come.

Knowing that gave you peace and you were not so afraid anymore. Then the day came and your last adventure was about to begin. You said goodbyes to your friends and then got into a car with David. You did not look back as he drove away from the city. You sighed and cried a little before falling asleep.  
When you woke up, you were in laying in a bed comfortably, although everything hurt nowadays all the time, but now you felt surprisingly good. You opened your eyes and heard a sound that you had never heard before; the ocean and the seagulls screaming in the distance. You turned your head and saw David sleeping next to you. The sight made you smile and you missed him already. You decided to get some sleep now that David was still sleeping. There was no point for you to be awake when he wasn’t.

He woke up after some hours and turned on his side to stare at your sleeping form. You looked fragile but carefree which gave him some comfort. Then suddenly you rolled on your side to face him and smiled as you felt him tracing your cheek with his fingertips. You opened your eyes and stared into his eyes that were ice blue.  
After you both had woken up, he took you to see the ocean. He carried you because you did not have strength to walk anymore and he told you to keep your eyes closed. Then he lowered you to stand on the warm sand. You did not have any shoes on and the sensation of having sand under your bare feet was new to you. You felt a warm salty breeze on your face and smiled as you still held your eyes shut.

\- Open your eyes. David said as he supported you. You opened your eyes and were greeted with a sight that you had only seen in pictures. The vast blue greeted you and took your breath away. You started to cry because you were so happy. This was one of those few things that you had wanted for yourself and the sight made you feel free. Your life itself had been an adventure, filled with ups and downs. Now you had arrived to the edge of the world and stared into the endless unknown just like you had arrived to the end of your own life and but what you saw was beautiful and peaceful; an endless horizon that would welcome you soon. No, there was no fear in your heart, only calmness and serenity.  
You stared at the ocean and listened to the sound of waves rushing into the shore. David carried you closer and put you down to stand so close to the water that whenever a new wave came to shore, it washed over your feel and tickled your toes. You started to laugh and although your laughter was weak and fragile, it echoed and filled the enormous space.

David had never seen you like that. Seeing you so free made him feel peaceful and happy. He was sad of course but he was truly, entirely happy that he got to see you like this and that he got to be the one who shared this moment with you.  
During the next days you and David just sat on the beach talking and laughing. You were beyond crying because you had found your peace. You were more worried about David than you were about yourself. It was him who had to carry on living without you but you knew that he was strong and maybe one day he would find love once more. Soon, you hoped.  
Then one day you were sitting on the beach again. You had been feeling more nauseous and in pain more than during the previous days and knew that it was only matter of hours anymore. You had asked David to take a blanket since it was a little bit colder day, a bit windy and the sky was filled with clouds, but it was not raining.

You were sitting in front of David, silently staring at the ocean. David felt that your heart was beating slower and your breathing was getting weaker.  
\- I love you. you whispered and reached to look at David one last time. He kissed your forehead and mumbled against your skin that he loved you too. You were tired and it was obvious that keeping your eyes open was getting more difficult by every minute. Suddenly there was a crack in the clouds and the sun came out for a few seconds. You smiled and enjoyed the warmth on your face.  
\- Close your eyes. David whispered. You closed them and focused on feeling him close to you.  
\- Get some rest. he said and felt you falling asleep. You were holding his hand and then he felt your grip loosening. He kept you close until after an hour and half you were gone. David cried for many hours and then decided to honor your wishes.  
He did exactly how you had asked him to and returned to the city after spending a few days alone, grieving and getting himself back together. He drove back to the city, planted the tree and led the people as he had promised you. The tree grew to be big and strong. It filled with flowers every spring and kept reminding everyone that there was hope. David honored your memory by continuing on the path that you had started, keeping you alive beyond the physical boundaries. He was not sad anymore, only thankful and he had decided that he would never reset himself again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is it... the end.
> 
> Thank you again!  
> \- Venla :)
> 
> Ps: Was listening to  
> Boom Jinx - Ahead of the Storm  
> on repeat while I was writing this. I love that song... discovered it yesterday.


End file.
